The Christian Liturgical Calendar Exemplified by the Liturgical Year 2000 Seasons of the Liturgical Year Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Advent 4th Sunday before Christmas, to 24th December. December 28 1st of Advent 29 30 November 1 December 2 3 4 Christmas 25th December to the Sunday after St Andrew Epiphany. The first eight days are the Christmas Octave (Catholic). 1999 5 2nd of Advent 6 7 8 9 10 11 Ordinary Time Day after Christmas season to Shrove Immaculate Conception Tuesday. Advent Lent Ash Wednesday to Maundy Thursday. 12 3rd of Advent 13 14 15 16 17 18 Gaudete Sunday Ember Day Ember Day Ember Day Easter Triduum Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday Easter Season Easter Sunday to Pentecost. The first eight 19 4th of Advent 20 21 22 23 24 25 days are the Easter Octave (Catholic). Christmas Ordinary Time Day after Pentecost to the day before St Stephen Advent Sunday. 26 27 28 29 30 31 December 1 January St John Holy Innocents Mary, Mother of God Fixed Solemnities and Feasts Holy Family January 2 2nd after Christmas 3 4 5 6 7 8 30 Nov St Andrew the Apostle 2000 Epiphany 8 Dec Immaculate Conception Christmas Conception of the BVM without stain [Orginates in the 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 7th century] Baptism of the Lord 25 Dec Christmas: Nativity of the Lord [4th c.] 16 2nd of Ordinary Time 17 18 19 20 21 22 25 Dec – Octave of Christmas Key 1 Jan Moveable solemnity 26 Dec St Stephen the Martyr 23 3rd of Ordinary Time 24 25 26 27 28 Fixed Solemnity 29 Conversion of St Paul 27 Dec St John the Apostle Fixed feast Moveable Feast 28 Dec Holy Innocents February 30 4th of Ordinary Time 31 January 1 February 2 3 4 5 Massacre of the innocents by Herod the Great. [5th c.] Presentation of the Lord Fixed Other Moveable Other 1 Jan Mary, Mother of God Celebration of Mary's motherhood of the Lord. [5th c.] 6 5th of Ordinary Time 7 8 9 10 11 Holy Day of Obligation12 6 Jan Epiphany of the Lord Visitation of the Magi to the Lord. The Lord's manifestation to the world. Eastern rites celebrate the Lord's baptism 13 6th of Ordinary Time 14 15 16 17 18 19 instead. [4th c.] Alternate date: the Sunday between the 2nd Ordinary Time and 8th of January. 25 Jan Conversion of St Paul 20 7th of Ordinary Time 21 22 23 24 25 26 2 Feb Presentation of the Lord Septuagesima Purification of the BVM 40 days after the Lord's birth, and the redemption of the firstborn at the temple. 27 8th of Ordinary Time 28 29 February 1 March 2 3 4 Sexagesima 19 Mar St Joseph of Nazareth March Shrovetide [9th c.] 5 9th of Ordinary Time 6 7 8 9 10 11 25 Mar Annunciation of the Lord Quinquagesima Shrove Tuesday Ash Wednesday Archangel Gabriel announces to the BVM that she will Ordinary Time ends be the mother of the Lord. [7th c.] 12 1st of Lent 13 14 15 16 17 18 25 Apr 1 Rogation: Greater Litanies Ember Day Ember Day Ember Day A day to invoke God's Mercy. Related to the Roman holiday of Robigalia [5th c.] 19 2nd of Lent 20 21 22 23 24 25 2 St Mark the Evangelist St Joseph Annunciation 1 May Ss Philip and James the Apostles 14 May St Matthias the Apostle 26 3rd of Lent 27 28 29 30 31 March 1 April 31 May Visitation of the BVM to Elizabeth The pregnant BVM visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with St John the Baptist [13th c.] 2 4th of Lent 3 4 5 6 7 8 24 Jun Nativity of St John the Baptist April Laetere Sunday [6th c.] 9 5th of Lent 10 11 Lent12 13 14 15 29 Jun Ss Peter and Paul Passion Sunday 3 Jul St Thomas the Apostle 25 Jul St James the Apostle 16 6th of Lent 17 18 19 20 Holy Wednesday Maundy Thursday 21 22 Holy Saturday Palm Sunday Holy Monday holy Tuesday Good Friday 6 Aug Transfiguration of the Lord The Lord is transfigured on a mountain, surrounded by 23 24 25 St Mark 26 27 28 29 Elijah and Moses, and named by God as his son [15th Easter Sunday Easter Monday Easter Tuesday Easter Wednesday Easter Thursday Easter Friday Easter Saturday c.] 15 Aug Assumption of the BVM Rogation The taking of Mary to heaven. [7th c.] 30 2nd of Easter 1 May 2 3 4 5 6 Ss Philip and James 24 Aug St Bartholomew the Apostle 8 Sep Nativity of the BVM May 7 3rd of Easter 8 9 10 11 12 13 Nine months after her Immaculate Conception [5th c.] 14 Sep Exaltation of the Holy Cross Dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre [4th 14 4th of Easter 15 16 17 18 19 20 c?] St Matthias 29 Sep St Michael and All Angels/Michaelmas Beginning of autumn. 21 5th of Easter 22 23 24 25 26 27 Easter 18 Oct St Luke the Evangelist 28 Oct Ss Jude and Simon the Apostles 28 6th of Easter 29 30 31 May 1 June 2 3 1 Nov All Saints Rogation Rogation Visitation Ascension Commemorates all those who have obtained the beatific vision [7th c]. June Rogation 4 7th of Easter 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 Nov All Souls Commemorates the faithful departed [10th c.] 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pentecost Ember Day Ember Day Ember Day Moveable Solemnities and Feasts 4th Sunday before First Sunday of Advent. 18 11th of Ordinary Time 19 20 21 22 23 24 Christmas [4th c.] Trinity Corpus Christi St John the Baptist 3rd Sunday of Advent Gaudete Sunday Joyous anticipation of the Lord's coming 25 12th of Ordinary Time 26 27 28 29 30 June 1 July Wed, Fri and Sat after Ember Days Ss Peter and Paul Gaudete Sunday Days of fasting and prayer [Pre- Christian] July 2 13th of Ordinary Time 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sunday within the Holy Family St Thomas Octave of Christmas [19th c.] 9 14th of Ordinary Time 10 11 12 13 14 15 1st Sunday after Baptism of the Lord (Western rites) The Liturgical Colours Epiphany Baptism of the Lord by John the Baptist [20th c.] Green Celebration of life Ordinary time. 9th Sunday before Septuagesima 16 15th of Ordinary Time 17 18 19 20 21 Passions22 of the Lord, Triumph of the Easter Start of the pre-Lenten season of Charity, and sacrifice of the Red Cross. Feasts of: Martyrs, and the Shrovetide. Carnival season., Mardi Gras martyrs Apostles and Evangelists (except St John), Holy Innocents. [9th c.]. 23 16th of Ordinary Time 24 25 26 27 28 29 St James the Greater Affliction, melancholy, Advent, Lent, Ember days, Rogation 8th Sunday before Sexagesima Violet days. Easter mourning, penitence, royalty August 30 17th of Ordinary Time 31 July 1 August 2 3 Black 4Sorrow of death All 5Soul's Day. 7th Sunday before Quinquagesima Easter Rose Joy and happiness Laetere Sunday, Gaudete Sunday. 47 days before Easter Shrove Tuesday Easter season, Christmas season, most 6 18th of Ordinary Time 7 8 9 10 11 Solemnities,12 Maunday Thursday, 46 days before Easter Ash Wednesday Transfiguration of the Lord Innocence, purity, joy, glory, White Conversion of St Paul, St John the Day of repentance. Start of Lent. virtue, respect, reverence Apostle. Feasts of: the Lord apart from His Passion, the BVM, Saints who were Wed, Fri and Sat after Ember Days 13 19th of Ordinary Time 14 15 16 17 18 not19 martyred. the 1st Sunday of Lent Days of fasting and prayer [Pre- Assumption of Mary Christian] 20 20th of Ordinary Time 21 22 23 24 25 26 4th Sunday of Lent Laetere Sunday St Bartholomew Mothering Sunday. Halfway between Ash Wednesday and Easter 27 21st of Ordinary Time 28 29 30 31 August 1 September 2 5th Sunday of Lent Passion Sunday September Start of Passiontide. 6th Sunday of Lent Palm Sunday 3 22nd of Ordinary Time 4 5 6 7 8 9 The Lord enters Jerusalem. Nativity of Mary Palm Sunday – Holy Holy Week Table of Liturgical Days According to Their Order of Precedence in Saturday The Lord's last week on earth 10 23rd of Ordinary Time 11 the Catholic Church12 13 14 15 16 Thursday before Easter Maunday Thursday Holy Cross 1 Easter TriduumOrdinary Time Last supper of the Lord. End of Lent. Friday before Easter Good Friday 2 Christmas, Epiphany, Ascension and Pentecost 17 24th of Ordinary Time 18 19 20 21 22 23 Crucifixion of the Lord Sundays of Advent, Lent, and the Easter season Ember Day St Matthew Ember Day Ember Day Ash Wednesday 1st Sunday after the Easter 24 25th of Ordinary Time Holy Monday25 to Holy Thursday 26 27 28 29 30 September Paschal full moon after Resurrection of the Lord Days within the Octave of Easter Michaelmas March 21 Easter to 2nd Sunday of Octave of Easter 3 Solemnities of the Lord Easter 1 26th of Ordinary Time Solemnities2 of the BVM 3 4 5 6 7 October Solemnities of the saints in the General Calendar 3 days preceding Rogation Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday All Souls Ascension Thursday A day to invoke God's Mercy. Fasting in 8 27th of Ordinary Time 9 10 11 12 13 14 preparation for the Ascension. Crops blessed. [5th c.] 4 Proper Solemnities 39 days after Easter Ascension 15 28th of Ordinary Time 5 Feasts of16 the Lord in the General Calendar 17 18 19 20 21 The Lord ascends into heaven [4th c.] St Luke 6 Sundays of the Christmas season 49 days after Easter Pentecost/Whitsunday Sundays in Ordinary Time Holy Spirit descends on the Apostles 22 29th of Ordinary Time 23 24 25 26 27 28 Ss Jude and Simon Wed, Fri and Sat after Ember Days 7 Feasts of the BVM Pentecost Days of fasting and prayer [Pre- Feasts of the Saints in the General Calendar Christian] 29 30th of Ordinary Time 30 31 October 1 November 2 3 4 All Saints All Souls 1st Sunday after Most Holy Trinity November 8 Proper Feasts Pentecost [14th c.] 9 Weekdays in Advent from 17 Dec to 24 December, inclusive 5 31st of Ordinary Time Days with6 the Octave of Christmas 7 8 9 10 11 1st Thursday after Corpus Christi Weekdays of Lent Trinity Honours the Eucharist [13th c.] Wed, Fri and Sat after Ember Days 12 32nd of Ordinary Time 13 14 15 16 17 18 Holy Cross Days of fasting and prayer [Pre- Christian] 5th Sunday before Christ the King 19 33rd of Ordinary Time 20 21 22 23 24 25 Christmas [20th c.] This work by Garry Stevens is licensed under Creative Commons licence CC-BY-NC- ND, and is available for free from www.garryscharts.com.