Roman Catholic

Liturgical Seasons

An Introduction to the Church’s Calendar

Why A Calendar?• We all use calendars to mark off

and celebrate in a special way different times of the year such as:o The seasonso National and secular holidays such as

Independence Day and Thanksgivingo Anniversarieso Birthdays

• These celebrations help us to bond together and appreciate that which we are celebrating in a deeper way.

What does the Catechism Teach?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church in article 2698 tells us:

“The Tradition of the Church proposes to the faithful certain rhythms of praying.”

“The cycle of the Liturgical year and its great feasts are also the basic rhythms of the Christian life of prayer.”

How Many Seasons are in the Church’s

Year?There are 6 seasons in the Church’s Liturgical Year:

1. Advent2. Christmas3. Ordinary Time4. Lent5. The Easter Triduum6. Easter

Similar to our natural seasons, each liturgical season is designated by a special theme and color.

Happy New Year! The first day of the New Year on the Church’s

Liturgical Calendar is different than January 1st.

Instead, the first Sunday of Advent is the first day of the Church’s New Year.

Advent:A Season of Waiting

• The first four weeks of the Church’s Liturgical Calendar make up the season of Advent.

• During the season of Advent the Church prepares for two main things:1. The Celebration of our Lord Jesus’ birth on Christmas Day2. The Second Coming of the Lord.

• The four weeks of Advent signify Christ’s four “comings” to us:1. In the flesh2. Into our hearts3. At our deaths4. At the Last Judgement

Advent:Colors, Symbols, and Practices

• Advent is a Penitential Season – a season of penance.

o Purple is the color the Church uses to symbolize penance. It is the liturgical color of Advent.

o During Advent we refrain from singing the Gloria at Mass.

o We should set aside time for Confession, fasting and other acts of penance and charity during the season of Advent.

Pope Francis in Purple Vestm,ents.

Advent:Colors, Symbols, and Practices

• The Advent Wreath is the most common symbol of Advent. o The wreath contains 3 purple and1

pink candle – one for each of the four Sundays of Advent.

o It is lit in the Church at Mass and in the Domestic Church, the home, for prayer and meditation.

Advent: What’s With the Pink Candle?

• The third Sunday of Advent is known as “Gaudete Sunday”o The word Gaudete means “Rejoice”

• We rejoice on this Sunday because the end of our waiting is almost here.

• The color rose is worn by the priest.

• Rose vestments are only worn on one other day of the Church’s calendar : “Laetare Sunday” in Lent.

Pope Francis in Rose Colored Vestments.

Christmas: “And the Word was made

flesh…”

• The Season of Christmas celebrates the Birth of our Lord Jesus.

• Christmas, along with Easter, are the two greatest celebrations on the Church’s calendar. o “On Christmas I celebrate Easter, because Jesus was born to die for

me.” - Lyrics to a song on “Christmas for Little Children”• The Season begins at the vigil Mass on Christmas

Eve.• Christmas concludes with the celebration of the

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Christmas: Colors, Symbols and Practices

• Contrary to the red and green theme that identify the secular celebrations of Christmas, white is the official liturgical color of the Christmas season.

• White symbolizes light, innocence, purity, joy, glory and triumph.

• On special feasts, gold vestments can be used to accent or totally replace white vestments.

Pope Francis incensing the Baby Jesus at Midnight Mass.

Christmas: Colors, Symbols and Practices

• The Nativity Scene and the Christmas Tree are the two main symbols of Christmas.

• At Midnight Mass the infant Jesus is placed in the Nativity Scene.

• The Christmas tree points us to heaven, and its evergreen color is a symbol of God’s eternal love. Crèche and Christmas Tree in

St. Peter’s Square, Rome

Christmas: Octaves: Let the Celebrations

Continue

• An Octave is an eight –day celebration of a Feast Day. o During the celebration of an Octave, each day is celebrated as if it were the feast

day.o Daily Mass celebrated during the Octave includes the Gloria

• Throughout the church’s history the number of Octaves celebrated swelled to as many as 15. As of 1969, the Church currently celebrates only two Octaves: Christmas and Easter

• The Octave of Christmas begins on Christmas Day and ends on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.

• The Octave of Easter begins on Easter Sunday and ends on Divine Mercy Sunday.

Ordinary Time:The Life and Teaching of Jesus

• Ordinary Time is named for the ordinal numbers which count the weeks of Ordinary Time.

• Ordinary Time is expressed by the Latin term “tempus per annum” meaning time throughout the year.

• During Ordinary Time the Church’s liturgy focuses on the Life and Teaching of Jesus.

Ordinary Time:Colors, Symbols and Practices

• Ordinary Time at 33-34 weeks long is the longest Liturgical Season of the Church’s Calendar.

• Green, representing life and hope, is the color of Ordinary Time.

• The first part of Ordinary Time begins on the Monday after the Baptism of the Lord and ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.

• The second part of Ordinary Time begins on the Monday after Pentecost Sunday and ends with the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

Lent:A Season of Penance

• Lent is a 40 day Penitential Season, which prepares the church to celebrate the mystery of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

• Lent begins with the celebration of Ash Wednesday and concludes on the evening of Holy Thursday.

• The three “pillars” of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Lent:Colors, Symbols and Practices

• The Liturgical color for Lent is purple, which is a penetential color.o Priests wear a purple stole whenever

they hear confessions.• There are two exceptions to

the color purple:o On Laetare Sunday, the priests

vestments are rose colored. o On Palm Sunday, the color red is

used. • In Lent, the Alleluia and the

Gloria are not part of the Liturgy.

Pope Francis hearing confessions at World Youth Day.

Lent:Colors, Symbols and Practices

• The two most common symbols of Lent are ashes and palms.

• The ashes distributed on Ash Wednesday are traditionally made from the previous year’s palm branches, which are burnt.

Pope Francis on Palm Sunday.

Lent:Colors, Symbols and Practices

Some common devotional practices performed during Lent include:

o Abstinence from meat on Fridays (as directed by the Church)

o Fasting or “giving up” something o Confessiono Praying the Stations of the Crosso Lenten retreats or missions

The Easter Triduum: We Watch and Wait

• The shortest season of the Church’s liturgical year, the Sacred Triduum celebrate the Paschal Mystery of the Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection.

• The Triduum begins with the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday and concludes with the celebration of the Easter Vigil.

The Easter Triduum: Colors, Symbols and Practices

• The liturgical colors of the Sacred Triduum vary depending upon the day:o Holy Thursday – Mass of the

Lord’s Supper – White and Goldo Good Friday – Liturgy of the

Lord’s Passion – Redo Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil –

White and Gold

Pope Francis prostrate on Good Friday

Pope Francis at the Easter Vigil

The Easter Triduum: Colors, Symbols and Practices

• In addition to the Church’s liturgies for the Triduum, the following are common practices to celebrate the Triduum:o Tour of 7 Eucharistic Repositories

for Adoration on Holy Thursday night

o Fasting and Abstinence on Good Friday

o Stations of the Crosso Divine Mercy Novena – begins on

Good Friday. Divine Mercy Image

Easter: Alleluia, He Is Risen

• The Season of Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.

• The Season of Easter begins with the Easter Vigil

and concludes on Pentecost Sunday.

• The Feasts of Divine Mercy Sunday and the Ascension of the Lord fall during the Easter Season.

Easter: Colors, Symbols and Practices

• White is the official liturgical color of the Easter season.

• White symbolizes light, innocence, purity, joy, glory and triumph.

• Pentecost Sunday is celebrated with the color red for the Holy Spirit.

Pope Francis incensing the Baby Jesus at Midnight Mass.

Easter: Colors, Symbols and Practices

• White is the official liturgical color of the Easter season.

• White symbolizes light, innocence, purity, joy, glory and triumph.

• Pentecost Sunday is celebrated with the color red for the Holy Spirit.

Pope Francis among the Easter Flowers on Easter Sunday.

Easter: Urbi et Orbi

• The Urbi et Orbi (for the city and for the world) message is delivered by the Holy Father each Christmas and Easter.

Pope Francis greeting the crowds after delivering the Urbi et Orbi Message.

Sources• Signs of Life: 40 Catholic Customs and Their

Biblican Roots by Dr. Scott Hahn• Catechism of the Catholic Church• Prayers & Devotions 365 Daily Meditations: Pope

John Paul II• Advent & Christmas Wisdom from Pope John Paul

II• Pope Francis, Wednesday Audience April 1, 2015• Catholic Online Liturgical Colors