Apologia: The Fullness of Christian Truth


``Where the Bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be;
even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church'' Ignatius of Antioch, 1st c. A.D


The Catholic Year IV:
Calendar-related Customs


Below are links to pages that describe customs and devotions related to the liturgical year.
The dates given are for the 2004-2005 liturgical year. Dates in italics are movable.

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Advent

Advent Overview
Advent Wreath & Candles Sundays of Advent: 27 November, 4, 11, 18 December
Christmas Cribs 1st Sunday of Advent - 6 January or 2 February
Novena to the Immaculate Conception in
anticipation of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception
29 November - 7 December
Christmas Novena I 30 November - 24 December
December: dedicated to the Immaculate Conception
Advent Calendars 1-24 December
Jesse Trees 1-24 December
Feast of St. Barbara 4 December
Feast of St. Nicholas 6 December
First Friday of the Month 4 December
First Saturday of the Month 5 December
Feast of the Immaculate Conception 8 December
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe 12 December
Feast of St. Lucy 13 December
Advent Embertide Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after
13 December (St. Lucy's Day): 16 ,18, 19 December
Christmas Novena II & Las Posadas 16-24 December
The Golden Nights: O Antiphons 17-23 December

Christmastide

Christmastide Overview
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 24-25 December
Feast of St. Stephen the Deacon 26 December
Feast of St. John the Evangelist 27 December
Feast of the Holy Innocents (Childermas) 28 December
Feast of St. Thomas Becket 29 December
Feast of St. Sylvester 31 December

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January: dedicated to the Holy Name and Childhood of Jesus

Feast of the Circumcision 1 January
First Saturday of the Month 7 January
Feast of the Holy Name 2 January (1st Sunday of the year, or 2 January if this Sunday falls on the 1st, 6th, or 7th)
Twelfthnight 5 January
Feast of the Epiphany 6 January
First Friday of the Month 6 January
Feast of the Holy Family 8 January (1st Sunday after the Epiphany)

Time After Epiphany

Time After Epiphany Overview
St. Agnes Eve & St. Agnes Day 20 & 21 January

February: dedicated to the Holy Family

Feast of St. Brigid of Ireland 1 February
Feast of the Purification/Presentation (Candlemas) 2 February
Feast of St. Blaise 3 February
First Friday of the Month 3 February
First Saturday of the Month 4 February

Septuagesima

Septuagesima Overview
St. Valentine's Day 14 February      
Shrovetide (Carnival) 27-28 February

Lent

Lent Overview

March: dedicated to St. Joseph

Ash Wednesday 1 March
First Friday of the Month 3 March
First Saturday of the Month 4 March
Lenten Embertide Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after the 1st Sunday of Lent: 8, 10, 11 March
4th Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday) 26 March
Feast of St. Patrick 17 March
Feast of St. Joseph 19 March
Feast of the Annunciation (Lady Day) 25 March
April: dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament
First Saturday of the Month 1 April
Passiontide & Passion Week begin: Vespers of Passion Sunday, and Passion Sunday 2 April
First Friday of the Month 7 April
Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Mary 7 April (the Friday before Palm Sunday)
Holy Week begins: Palm Sunday 9 April
Spy Wednesday 12 April
The Sacred Triduum begins: Maundy Thursday 13 April
Good Friday 14 April
Holy Saturday 15 April

Eastertide

Eastertide Overview
Easter Sunday 16 April
Low Sunday (Divine Mercy Sunday) 23 April
Major Rogation 25 April
May: dedicated to Mary
May Crowning Early May
First Friday of the Month 5 May
First Saturday of the Month 6 May
Minor Rogation 22, 23, 24 May (the 3 days before the Ascension)
Ascension Thursday 25 May (40 days after Easter)
Novena to the Holy Ghost in anticipation of Whitsunday 26 May (10 days before Pentecost)
June: dedicated to the Sacred Heart
First Friday of the Month 2 June
First Saturday of the Month 3 June
Vigil of the Pentecost & Pentecost (Whitsunday) 3 & 4 June (50 days after Easter)
Whit Embertide Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after Pentecost: 7, 9, & 10 June

Time After Pentecost

Time After Pentecost Overview
Trinity Sunday 11 June (the Sunday after Pentecost)
Feast of Corpus Christi 15 May (The Thursday after Trinity Sunday)
Feast of the Sacred Heart 23 June (the Friday a week after Corpus Christi)
Feast of St. Anthony of Padua 13 June
St. John's Eve & St. John's Day 23 & 24 June
July: dedicated to the Precious Blood
Peter's Pence Collection 2 July (the Sunday nearest to 29 June, the the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul)
First Saturday of the Month 1 July
First Friday of the Month 7 July
Feast of St. Mary Magdalen 22 July
Feast of St. James the Greater 25 July
Feast of St. Martha 29 July
August: dedicated to the Immaculate Heart
First Friday of the Month 4 August
First Saturday of the Month 5 August
Feast of the Transfiguration 6 August
Feast of the Assumption (Marymass) 15 August
Feast of King Saint Louis IX 25 August
September: dedicated to the Seven Dolors of Mary
First Friday of the Month 1 September
First Saturday of the Month 2 September
Feast of the Nativity of Mary 8 September
Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Holy Cross Day) 14 September
Michaelmas Embertide Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after the third Sunday in September: 20, 22, 23 September
Feast of Saint Januarius (San Gennaro) 19 September
Feast of St. Michael the Archangel (Michaelmas) 29 September
October: dedicated to the Holy Rosary
First Saturday of the Month 6 October
First Friday of the Month 7 October
All Souls Novena 24 October - 1 November
Feast of Christ the King 29 October (Last Sunday of October)
All Hallows' Eve (Hallowe'en) 31 October
November: dedicated to the Poor Souls
All Saints' Day (Hallowmas) 1 November
All Souls Day 2 November
First Friday of the Month 3 November
First Saturday of the Month 4 November
Feast of St. Martin (Martinmas) 11 November
Last Sunday of Pentecost 26 November
St. Catherine's Day 25 November

 

2006 Advent Dates:
3 December: First Sunday of Advent 2005
10 December: Second Sunday of Advent 2005
17 December: Third Sunday of Advent, 2005
25 December: Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2005
Sunday, 25 December: Christmas 2005

For a list of Catholic movies that would be good to watch
throughout the liturgical year, see the Catholic Movies page of this site.


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