
Church Seasons
The Church celebrates seasons that are different from winter, spring, summer and fall. We pray certain prayers. We listen to certain Bible stories. The priest wears vestments of a certain colour.
The liturgical seasons unite us to heaven. When we celebrate the seasons of the liturgical calendar, we’re celebrating the same seasons God and the angels and saints are celebrating in heaven. They are family celebrations. When we mark the special feasts throughout the liturgical year, we’re remembering our family members in the Church.
11:46 min.

Celebrating the Seasons of the Liturgical Year
Click on each of the Church Seasons to learn more about it and find ideas for family prayer and celebration.
Colours of the Church Year
0:55 min.


Main Feasts of the Liturgical Year
January
1 - Mary, the Holy Mother of God
2 - St. Basil the Great & St. Gregory Nazianzen
3 - The Most Holy Name of Jesus (optional memorial)
6 - Epiphany of the Lord
7 - St. André Bessette
(Sunday after January 6) Baptism of the Lord
12 - St. Marguerite Bourgeoys
21 - St. Agnes
25 - Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle
26 - St. Timothy & St. Titus
28 - St. Thomas Aquinas
February
2 - Presentation of the Lord
5 - St. Agatha
6 - St. Paul Miki & Companions
10 - St. Scholastica
14 - St. Cyril & St. Methodius
22 - Chair of St. Peter the Apostle
23- St. Polycarp
Ash Wednesday - the beginning of Lent is in February or March depending on the date of Easter
March
7 - St. Perpetua & St. Felicity
19 - St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
25 - Annunciation of the Lord
We celebrate Palm Sunday, Holy Week & Easter in March or April
Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated the Sunday after Easter
April
7 - St. John Baptist de la Salle
11 - St. Stanislaus
25 - St. Mark the Evangelist
29 - St. Catherine of Sienna
30 - St. Marie de l'Incarnation
May
2 - St. Athanasius
3 - St. Phillip & St. James, Apostles
6 - St. François de Laval
14 - St. Matthias the Apostle
26 - St. Philip Neri
31 - The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Ascension of the Lord is most often celebrated in May (40 days after Easter)
Pentecost is celebrated in May or June
We celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church the day after Pentecost
The Most Holy Trinity is celebrated the Sunday after Pentecost
The Body and Blood of Jesus is celebrated the Sunday after The Most Holy Trinity
We celebrate The Sacred Heart of Jesus the Friday after The Body & Blood of Jesus
The Immaculate Heart of Mary is celebrated the day after The Sacred Heart of Jesus
June
1 - St. Justin
3 - St. Charles Lwanga & Companions
5 - St. Boniface
11 - St. Barnabas the Apostle
13 - St. Anthony of Padua
21 - St. Aloysius Gonzaga
24 - The Birth of St. John the Baptist
28 - St. Irinaeus
29 - St. Peter & St. Paul, Apostles
July
3 - St. Thomas the Apostle
11 - St. Benedict
15 - St. Bonaventure
22 - St. Mary Magdalene
25 - St. James the Apostle
26 - St. Joachim & St. Anne
29 - St. Martha
31 - St. Ignatius of Loyola
August
1 - St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
4 - St. Jean-Marie Vianney
6 - The Transfiguration of the Lord
8 - St. Dominic
10 - St. Lawrence
11 - St. Clare
14 - St. Maximillian Kolbe
15 - The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
20 - St. Bernard of Clairvaux
21 - St. Pius X
22 - Queenship of Mary
24 - St. Bartholomew the Apostle
27 - St. Monica
28 - St. Augustine of Hippo
29 - Beheading of John the Baptist
September
3 - St. Gregory the Great
5 - St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta
8 - Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
13 - St. John Chrysostom
14 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross
15 - Our Lady of Sorrows
16 - St. Cornelius & St. Cyprian
20 - Sts. Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, & Companions
21 - St. Matthew the Evangelist
23 - St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)
27 - St. Vincent de Paul
29 - St. Michael, St. Gabriel & St. Raphael, Archangels
30 - St. Jerome
October
1 - St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus
2 - Holy Guardian Angels
4 - St. Francis of Assisi
7 - Our Lady of the Rosary
15 - St. Theresa of Jesus
16 - St. Marguerite d'Youville
17 - St. Ignatius of Antioch
18 - St. Luke the Evangelist
28 - St. Simon & St. Jude, Apostles
November
1 - All Saints
2 - Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed - All Souls Day
3 - St. Charles Borromeo
9 - Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
10 - St. Leo the Great
11 - St. Martin of Tours
12 - St. Josaphat
17 - St. Elizabeth of Hungary
18 - Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul
21 - Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
22 - St. Cecilia
24 - St. Andrew Dũng-Lac and Companions
(Last Sunday in Ordinary Time) - Christ the King - Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
30 - St. Andrew the Apostle
December
3 - St. Francis Xavier
7 - St. Ambrose
8 - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
12 - Our Lady of Guadalupe
13 - St. Lucy of Syracuse
14 - St. John of the Cross
25 - Nativity of the Lord - Christmas Season Begins
26 - St. Stephen, the first martyr
27 - St. John the Apostle and Evangelist
28 - Holy Innocents
Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph is celebrated the Sunday after Christmas