The Liturgical Calendar

Next Sunday is the beginning of Advent, the season of awaiting Christ’s coming. It is the first day of the Liturgical calendar year, which consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons that determine when feast days and other holy days are observed, and which Scripture and Gospel readings are used at Mass. It is divided into six liturgical seasons. (The shortest but most holy season is the three day Sacred Pascal Triduum leading up to Easter.)  The following is a brief overview of the Catholic liturgical seasons:

Advent: 1^st Sunday of Advent through December 24^th

The Advent season is the time of waiting and preparing for the coming of Jesus.

Christmas: Dec. 25^th through The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

The Christmas season is a time of rejoicing in the Incarnation. It begins with the birth of Jesus and lasts for 12 days, until the Epiphany. However, the time from Epiphany until the Baptism of the Lord is also included in the Christmas season. 

Ordinary Time after the Baptism: Monday after the Feast of the Baptism through Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday)

Ordinary Time after the Baptism focuses on the early life and childhood of Christ, and then on His public ministry.

 Lent: Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday

Lent is a penitential season. It focuses on the events leading up to Christ’s passion, and finally on the Passion itself. Lent is 40 days long. This does not include Sundays, as Sunday is always a day for rejoicing in the Resurrection. Altogether, it covers 46 calendar days, the 40 days plus the six Sundays.

Easter: Easter Vigil though Pentecost

The season of Easter is a joyous, celebratory season. It begins with celebrating Christ’s resurrection and ends by celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus. Christ’s ascension into Heaven is celebrated just prior to Pentecost. The Easter season last 50 days, from Easter Sunday through Pentecost.

Ordinary Time after Pentecost: The day after Pentecost through the final day before Advent

This period of Ordinary Time focuses on Christ’s reign as King of kings, and on the age of the Church. This is the age we live in now, which is the time between the age of the Apostles and the age of Christ’s second and final coming for which we are ever preparing. The final Sunday in Ordinary Time is the Feast of Christ the King; the Saturday after this feast is the final day of Ordinary time.