1. Liturgical Year

2. Sunday
• The liturgical year is based on the
Sundays of the year.
• Sunday – original Christian feast day – the
day that Jesus rose from the dead.
• Holy day of Obligation – must attend mass
• Is the first day of the week

3. Liturgical year
• Annual journey through religious rituals
in which Christians recall the events of
the life of Jesus Christ and the
beginnings of the Christian religion.
• It is also a celebration of Christ in the
church today and an invitation to grow
closer to him in worship.

4. 4 seasons
1. Advent
2. Christmas
3. Lent
4. Easter
5. Ordinary time

6. Advent – ‘the coming’
• Begins the year
• 4 weeks before Christmas
• We reflect on the coming of Jesus Christ
• Demonstrate love through generosity and
forgiveness

7. Christmas – ‘the Mass of Christ’
• Holy day of obligation
• Begins with vigil mass on Christmas Eve
• Includes feast of Epiphany – 6th January –
worship of the Magi
• Ends on Sunday after Ephiphany

8. Ordinary Time
• 2 periods throughout the year
– Between Christmas and Lent
– Between Easter and Advent

9. Lent
• 40 days
• Recalls time Jesus spent in desert
• Ash Wednesday begins Lent – day of fasting
and abstinence
• Time of preparation for Easter
– Be creative and positive
– Fasting, prayer and good work
• Holy Week – last week of Lent
– Palm Sunday
– Holy Thursday
– Good Friday (day of fasting and abstinence)
– Holy Saturday

10. Easter
• Most important part of the year.
• Easter Sunday is a moveable feast – not
always on the same date
• Begins with Easter Triduum
– Mass on Holy Thursday – mass on Easter
Sunday

11. Easter Season
• Begins on Easter Sunday
• Ascension – 40 days after Easter Sunday
– Jesus returned to heaven
• Pentecost Sunday – 10 days after
Ascension – birthday of the Christian
religion
– Recalls Holy Spirit descending on Apostles –
courage to publicly preach Jesus’ message