The Church’s Liturgical Year

• The liturgical year is the name we give to the Church’s year. It is our way of celebrating the mystery of Christ from season to season.

The Liturgical Calendar

Advent• Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year. It is

the time of preparation for the celebration for the Lord’s first coming at his birth.

• The Advent season begins four Sundays before December 25th and ends at the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass.

• The traditional color of the vestments and decorations for the days of Advent is purple.

Christmas• We celebrate the birth of Jesus and the joyous

events associated with it.• It is the period from Jesus’ birth to the beginning

of his public ministry.• The Christmas season begins at the Christmas

Eve Vigil Mass and ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

• The primary color for the season is white. Gold is also used.

Lent• The season of Lent begins Ash Wednesday. During

Lent we remember that Jesus suffered, died, and rose to new life to save us from sin and to give us new life in the Kingdom of God.

• The color for Lent is purple.

The Easter Triduum• The Easter Triduum is the Church’s greatest and

most important celebration. The word Triduum, means “three days”.

• During Holy Thursday evening, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, until Easter Sunday evening- we remember and celebrate in the liturgy, the suffering, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

• The color for Good Friday is red. The other color for the other days is white.

Easter• The season of Easter begins Easter Sunday

evening and continues until Pentecost Sunday, fifty days later.

• We also celebrate Christ’s Ascension into Heaven.• The color for the Easter season is white, while

Pentecost’s color is red and signifies the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles.

Ordinary Time• During this season we remember and celebrate

the teaching, stories, and events of Jesus’ life.• The periods of this season occur between the

Christmas and Lenten seasons and after the Easter season until Advent.

• The liturgical color of this season is green, a sign of life and hope.