Liturgical Calendar and Feast Days
The Liturgical Year is an annual cycle of seasons and feasts that celebrates the Paschal Mystery, especially focusing on Christ’s Death and Resurrection (Easter Cycle), and Birth (Christmas Cycle). The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “In the Liturgical Year the various aspects of the one Paschal mystery unfold. This is also the case with the cycle of feasts surrounding the mystery of the incarnation (Annunciation, Christmas, Epiphany). They commemorate the beginning of our salvation and communicate to us the first fruits of the Paschal mystery.” (CCC 1171)
The celebration of the Liturgical Year is meant to draw the Catholic faithful into the Mystery of Christ, helping them to experience His divine life more fully and deeply. This includes remembering and celebrating the lives of the saints, especially Mary, the Mother of God: “By keeping the memorials of the saints – first of all the holy Mother of God, then the apostles, the martyrs, and other saints – on fixed days of the Liturgical Year, the Church on earth shows that she is united with the liturgy of heaven. She gives glory to Christ for having accomplished his salvation in his glorified members; their example encourages her on her way to the Father.” (CCC 1195)
The Western and Eastern rites of the Catholic Church hold the major feast days and seasons in common, but differ on many of the solemnities and feasts. Below are the most important feast days, plus some of the feasts unique to the Eastern Catholic Churches.
2017-2018 Liturgical and Feast Days
Pascha and the 12 Great Feasts
In the Season of Pentecost
| September 1: | The Beginning of the Church Year |
| September 4: | Labor Day (USA) |
| September 8: | Feast of Nativity of the Mother of God |
| September 14: | Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross |
| October 1: | Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God |
| October 15: | Sunday of the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council |
| November 8: | Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers |
Preparation for the Nativity of Our Lord
| November 15: | Nativity Fast (Philip’s Fast also known as Advent) |
| November 21: | The Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple |
| November 23: | Thanksgiving Day (USA) |
| December 6: | St Nicholas the Wonderworker and Archbishop of Myra in Lycia |
| December 8: | Conception by Anne of the Most Holy Mother of God (Immaculate Conception) |
| December 12: | Our Lady of Guadalupe |
Season of the Christmas cycle
| *December 25: | The Nativity of our Lord God and Savior, Jesus Christ Holy Day of Oblig. |
| December 26: | Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God |
| January 1: | Circumcision of Our Lord and the Memory of St. Basil the Great |
| *January 6: | Theophany (Baptism) of Our Lord Holy Day of Obligation |
Pre-Paschal Season
| January 15: | Martin Luther King Day (USA) |
| January 21: | Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee |
| January 28: | Sunday of the Prodigal Son |
| January 30: | Synaxis of the Ecumenical Teachers and Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom |
| February 2: | Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple |
| February 3: | First All-Souls Saturday |
| February 4: | Sunday of Meat-Fare |
| February 11: | Sunday of Cheese-Fare |
The Great Fast
| February 12: | First Day of the Great Fast |
| February 18: | First Sunday of the Great Fast (Sunday of Orthodoxy) |
| February 24: | Second All-Souls Saturday |
| February 25: | Second Sunday of the Great Fast (St. Gregory Palamas) |
| March 3: | Third All-Souls Saturday |
| March 4: | Third Sunday of the Great Fast (Veneration of the Holy Cross) |
| March 11: | Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast (St. John of the Ladder) |
| March 17: | Akathistos Saturday |
| March 18: | Fifth Sunday of the Great Fast (St. Mary of Egypt) |
Holy Week
| March 24: | Saturday of Lazarus |
| March 25: | Palm (Flowery) Sunday, Annuciation to the Mother of God |
| March 26: | Great and Holy Monday |
| March 27: | Great and Holy Tuesday |
| March 28: | Great and Holy Wednesday |
| March 29: | Great and Holy Thursday |
| March 30: | Great and Holy Friday |
| March 31: | Great and Holy Saturday |
| April 1: | Pascha (Easter Sunday) |
Paschal Season
| Apr 1-8: | Bright Week |
| April 8: | Second Sunday of Pascha (Thomas Sunday) |
| April 15: | Third Sunday of Pascha (Ointment-Bearing Women) |
| April 22: | Fourth Sunday of Pascha (Healing of the Paralytic) Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius |
| April 29: | Fifth Sunday of Pascha (Samaritan Woman) |
| May 6: | Sixth Sunday Sunday of Pascha (Man Born Blind) |
| *May 10: | Ascension of Our Lord, Thursday (40 days after Easter) Holy Day of Obligation |
| May 13: | Seventh Sunday of Pascha (Fathers of the First Council) |
| May 19: | Fifth All-Souls Saturday |
| May 20: | Feast of Pentecost Sunday (50 days after Easter) |
| May 21: | Feast of the Holy Trinity |
Season of Pentecost
| May 27: | Sunday of All Saints |
| May 28 – June 28: | The Apostles’ Fast |
| May 28: | Memorial Day (USA) |
| June 24: | The Birth of John the Baptist |
| *June 29: | Feast of SS Peter and Paul, Apostles Holy Day of Obligation |
| July 4: | Independence Day (USA) |
| July 15: | Sunday of the Fathers of the First 6 Ecumenical Councils |
| July 20: | Elijah Great Prophet (the Holy Prophet Elias) |
| August 1-14: | Dormition Fast |
| August 6: | Transfiguration of Our Lord |
| *August 15: | Dormition of the Mother of God Holy Day of Obligation |
| August 29: | Beheading of John the Baptist |
