The Liturgical
Year
Christ’s saving work is celebrated in sacred
memory by the Church on fixed days
throughout the year.
Each week on SUNDAY,
the day called the Lord’s Day,
the Church commemorates
the Lord’s resurrection.
Once a year at EASTER the
church honors this resurrection
and passion with the utmost
solemnity.
General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar
http://www.scborromeo.org/litcal.htm
In fact through the yearly
cycle the Church unfolds the
entire mystery of Christ and
keeps the anniversaries of
the saints.
THE LITURGICAL DAY
Each day is made holy through the liturgical celebrations
of the people of God, especially through the eucharistic
sacrifice and the divine office.
The liturgical day runs from midnight to midnight, but the
observance of Sunday and solemnities begins with the
evening of the preceding day (the “vigil”).
Vigils
Lauds
Terce
Sisters of
Santa Rita Abbey
singing the Liturgy of
the Hours
Sext
The Liturgy
of the
Hours
None
Vespers
Compline
SUNDAY
"The Church celebrates the paschal
mystery on the first day of the week,
known as the Lord’s Day or Sunday.
This follows a tradition handed
down from the apostles and having
its origin from the day of Christ’s
resurrection.
Thus Sunday must be ranked as the
first holy day of all."
THE YEARLY CYCLE
"By means of the yearly
cycle the Church
celebrates
the whole
mystery of Christ,
from His
Incarnation
until the day of
Pentecost and
the expectation
of His
coming
again."
Sundays
are along the
outer circle
1st Sunday
of Advent
Each
“spoke”
represents
one week
-- Great feasts of the Church are in
capital letters
-- Memorials of saints are in upper
and lowercase
Colors change with each
liturgical season
ADVENT
Advent
Wreath
Twofold character:
(1) as a season to prepare for
Christmas when Christ’s First Coming
to us is remembered
(2) as a season when that
remembrance directs the minds and
heart to await Christ’s Second Coming
at the end of time.
Advent is thus a period for
devout and joyful expectation.
Advent
Calendars
Advent begins with evening prayer of the Sunday vigil
falling on or closest to 30 November and ends before
evening prayer on the vigil of Christmas.
The weekdays from December 17 - 24 prepare us more
directly for the Lord’s birth by evoking salvation history.
Each Mass includes one of the “O Antiphons” . . . .
7 ancient prayers of praise and longing:
The Jesse
O Wisdom
Tree
O Lord
O Root of Jesse
O Key of David
O Daystar
O Desired One
O Emmanuel
CHRISTMAS SEASON:
Next to the yearly celebration of
the paschal mystery (Easter),
the Church holds most sacred
the memorial of Christ’s birth
and early manifestations.
This is the purpose of the Christmas Season.
The Christmas
season runs
from evening
prayer on
Christmas Eve
(the Vigil) . . .
. . .to the Sunday
of The Baptism
of the Lord
. . . .through the
Feast of the
Epiphany
CHRISTMAS SEASON
Christmas
Creche
LENT
is a preparation for the celebration
of Easter.
Lent disposes catechumens and
the faithful to celebrate the
paschal mystery . . .
- through stages of Christian initiation (catechumens)
- through reminders of baptism (faithful)
and through penitential practices.
Lent runs from Ash Wednesday
through Palm Sunday & HOLY WEEK
but excludes Sundays.
Ashes
Prayer
Fasting
Hot Cross Buns
Almsgiving
Soup & Sacrifice
Meatless Fridays
Palms
The EASTER TRIDUUM
of the Passion
and Resurrection of Christ
is the culmination of
the entire liturgical year.
(Triduum = “the 3 days”)
HOLY
THURSDAY
Mass of the
Lord’s Supper
GOOD
FRIDAY
Passion
of the
Lord
HOLY
SATURDAY
EASTER
SUNDAY
Easter
Sunday
Easter
Vigil
Easter
Season 
The solemnity of EASTER
has the same kind of preeminence
in the liturgical year
that Sunday has in the week.
THE TRIDUUM
The triduum begins with the evening
Mass of the Lord’s Supper on HOLY THURSDAY
. . . continues through GOOD FRIDAY with the
commemoration of the Lord’s Passion
. . . and reaches its high point in the
THE EASTER VIGIL
this celebration of the holy night when
Christ rose from the dead,
ranks as the “mother of all vigils.”
The Triduum closes with evening prayer
on Easter Sunday
EASTER SEASON:
The fifty (50) days
from Easter
to the Ascension
to Pentecost
are celebrated
in joyful exultation
as one feast day, or better
as one “Great Sunday.”
ORDINARY TIME:
Apart from those seasons
having their own distinctive
character,
33 or 34 weeks remain in the
yearly cycle that
do not celebrate a
specific aspect of
the mystery of Christ.
Rather, they are devoted
to the mystery of Christ
in all its aspects.
This 2-part period is known
as "Ordinary Time."
The
Wedding at
Cana
“I am the Vine,
you are the
Branches”
The loaves &
the fishes
The last Sunday of
the Liturgical Year is the
Feast of Christ the King
LITURGICAL COLORS
VIOLET - Expectation, Purification, or
Penance. (Advent & Lent)
Optional: ROSE - Joy, Rejoicing,
Praise -- in the midst of Advent & Lent
Gaudete Sunday, 3rd Sunday in Advent
Laetare Sunday, 4th Sunday in Lent
WHITE (OR GOLD) - Joy and Triumph. (Triduum, Easter,
Christmas, as well as Holy Days and certain feast days
throughout the year, e.g. feasts of Mary.)
RED - Royalty, Fire, and Martyrdom. (Pentecost,
Palm/Passion Sunday, Good Friday, Triumph of the
Cross, feast days of martyrs)
GREEN - A sign of Life and Growth. (Ordinary Time)
LITURGICAL CYCLE OF SCRIPTURE READINGS
For Sundays and other special days
throughout the church year, there are
three sets of readings assigned for
the day.
These readings are assigned to
Liturgical Years A, B, and C.
Years which are evenly divisible by 3 are assigned year C,
such as 2010.
Year A (2011) follows year C, Year B (2012) follows Year A, and
Year C (2013) follows Year B.
The Liturgical Years start on the first Sunday of Advent of the
previous calendar year, so the first Sunday of Advent last
November (Nov 29, 2009) was the start of our current
Liturgical Year (2010), Year C.
We are now in Liturgical Year 2010,
Year C, Weekly Cycle II
Sunday Nov 28, 2010 will begin
Liturgical Year 2011:
Year A, Weekly Cycle I
Each Sunday Mass has
three scripture readings:
1st = Old Testament
2nd = New Testament letters or Revelation
3rd = from the Gospels
Year A: the Gospel of Matthew
Year B: the Gospel of Mark
Year C: the Gospel of Luke
Year A
Year B
The Gospel of John is used in all 3 Sunday Cycles
Year C
All 3 Cycles
-- 1st & 3rd readings are linked in meaning or context
-- 2nd is semi-continuous from Sunday to Sunday
-- RESPONSORIAL PSALM sung or recited after 1st reading
-- The Gospel Acclamation (Alleluia verse) is sung
by the whole congregation before the Gospel
. . . But no Alleluia's sung during Lent & Triduum,
until the Easter Vigil.
For weekdays in ordinary time and other
special days throughout the church year:
There is a 2-year cycle
with 1st reading, psalm, & Gospel
Liturgical Cycle I : odd years
Liturgical Cycle II : even years
The weekday Liturgical Cycles start on the first
Sunday of Advent of the previous year.
We’ve been in Weekly Cycle II (of Church Year 2010)
. . . the upcoming Advent, starting Nov 28, 2010
will begin Weekly Cycle I (of Church Year 2011)
FEASTS, MEMORIALS, COMMEMORATIONS
AND SOLEMNITIES
These are days which the Church has
set aside as having special meaning;
there are several types of celebrations.
-- events in the life of Christ
-- days dedicated to a particular saint
-- feasts of Mary (under her different
“titles” of praise)
The Presentation
of the Lord
Feb 2
Our Lady of
the Rosary
Oct 7
The Annunciation
Mar 25
Our Mother of
Sorrows
Sep 15
Our Lady of
Guadalupe
Dec 12
Holy Days of Obligation (in the United States)
Jan 1= Solemnity of Mary Mother of God
Ascension of the Lord
(moveable date based on Easter)
Aug 15 = Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Nov 1 = All Saints Day
Dec 8 = Immaculate Conception
Dec 25 = Christmas
Easter & Pentecost are always on Sundays
and have moveable dates
DAYS OF FAST (Ash Wednesday & Good Friday)
ABSTINENCE (Ash Wednesday & Lenten Friday's)
Fasting is restricting eating to one full meal and two
lighter meals in the course of a single day, and
prohibits eating between meals.
(For all adults who have not yet reached age 60.
Pregnant women & the sick are not obligated.)
Abstinence is refraining from eating meat.
(for all who have completed their 14th year)
"Paschal Fast" = from Mass of Lord's Supper on Holy
Thursday to Easter Vigil
To find daily
readings:
U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops
site
READINGS AND
PSALMS OF THE
MONTH
• Test of Reading
• Audio of Reading
• Video of short
reflection
• Daily Podcast
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
To learn more about saints,
feast days:
The Catholic Encyclopedia
Online / New Advent website
www.newadvent.org/cathen/
“Saint of the Day”
www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/
To find out
liturgical year
information about
any date,
including links to
the saint of the
day:
The Catholic
Calendar Page
http://www.easterbrooks.com/personal/calendar/
The Liturgical
Year
Advent Wreath
Ash Wednesday
Holy Thursday
Jesse Tree (Advent)
Pretzel (Lent)
Christmas manger
Hot cross buns (Lent)
Holy Thursday / Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Epiphany Star
Baptism of the Lord
Palm Sunday
The TRIDUUM
Pelican ≈ Jesus
Good Friday
Easter Vigil
“By his wounds you are healed”
Easter
Triumphant Lamb
Jesus ≈ Lamb of God
Phoenix ≈ Jesus
Pentecost
“Resurrection from the ashes”
Trinity Sunday
Ordinary Time
Chi Rho ≈ Christ
Feasts of Mary
Lily ≈ virgin