The complete Catholic liturgical calendar — all moveable feast dates computed precisely, liturgical seasons explained, and the full fixed feast day calendar.
All dates computed using Butcher's algorithm for the Gregorian calendar. Dates update automatically each year.
| Feast / Observance | Date | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computing dates… | |||
The Catholic liturgical year is divided into seven distinct seasons, each with its own color, focus, and spiritual meaning.
Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and lasts until Christmas Eve. It is a season of joyful anticipation and preparation for the coming of Christ. The liturgical color is violet or purple, symbolizing penance and expectation, with rose used on the third Sunday (Gaudete Sunday) to mark the halfway point of joyful rejoicing.
The Christmas Season begins at the First Vespers of Christmas (December 24 evening) and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, typically the Sunday after Epiphany. White or gold are the liturgical colors, representing joy, purity, and the glory of the Incarnation. Key feasts include Christmas Day, the Feast of the Holy Family, Mary Mother of God (January 1), and Epiphany (January 6).
The first period of Ordinary Time runs from the day after the Baptism of the Lord until Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). During this season, the Church reflects on the life and ministry of Jesus. The liturgical color is green, representing hope and growth in the faith. The length of this period varies each year depending on when Easter falls.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes before the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. It is a 40-day period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation for Easter. The liturgical color is violet, and statues and crosses may be veiled in purple during Passiontide (the final two weeks). Lent is the Church's most intense season of penitence and spiritual renewal, mirroring Jesus' 40 days in the desert.
The Easter Triduum ("three days") is the heart of the entire liturgical year, spanning Holy Thursday evening through the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. It encompasses the Mass of the Lord's Supper, the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil — the most solemn and elaborate liturgy of the year. The Triduum commemorates the Last Supper, the crucifixion, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Easter Season runs for 50 days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. It is the most joyful season of the liturgical year, celebrating the resurrection of Christ and his appearances to the disciples. The liturgical color is white or gold throughout, except on Pentecost when red is used. Key celebrations include Divine Mercy Sunday (Second Sunday of Easter), the Ascension of the Lord (40 days after Easter), and Pentecost (50 days after Easter).
The longest season, running from the Monday after Pentecost until the Solemnity of Christ the King (the last Sunday of the liturgical year). Ordinary time emphasizes the ongoing mission of the Church in the world and the growth of the Kingdom of God. The liturgical color is green. This season contains many important feast days, including the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (Sunday after Pentecost), Corpus Christi, and the solemnities of all the major saints.
Major Catholic feast days observed on the same date every year.
| Date | Feast | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God | Solemnity |
| Jan 6 | Epiphany of the Lord | Solemnity |
| Feb 2 | Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas) | Feast |
| Feb 11 | Our Lady of Lourdes | Memorial |
| Feb 22 | Chair of Saint Peter | Feast |
| Mar 19 | Solemnity of Saint Joseph | Solemnity |
| Mar 25 | Annunciation of the Lord | Solemnity |
| Apr 23 | Saint George, Martyr | Optional Memorial |
| Jun 13 | Saint Anthony of Padua | Memorial |
| Jun 24 | Nativity of Saint John the Baptist | Solemnity |
| Jun 29 | Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul | Solemnity |
| Jul 3 | Saint Thomas, Apostle | Feast |
| Jul 11 | Saint Benedict of Nursia | Feast |
| Jul 22 | Saint Mary Magdalene | Feast |
| Jul 25 | Saint James, Apostle | Feast |
| Aug 6 | Transfiguration of the Lord | Feast |
| Aug 10 | Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr | Feast |
| Aug 15 | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Solemnity |
| Aug 22 | Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Memorial |
| Aug 29 | Passion of Saint John the Baptist | Memorial |
| Sep 8 | Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Feast |
| Sep 14 | Exaltation of the Holy Cross | Feast |
| Sep 21 | Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist | Feast |
| Sep 29 | Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael (Michaelmas) | Feast |
| Oct 2 | Guardian Angels | Memorial |
| Oct 4 | Saint Francis of Assisi | Memorial |
| Oct 7 | Our Lady of the Rosary | Memorial |
| Oct 18 | Saint Luke, Evangelist | Feast |
| Oct 28 | Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles | Feast |
| Nov 1 | All Saints' Day | Solemnity |
| Nov 2 | All Souls' Day (Commemoration of the Faithful Departed) | Commemoration |
| Nov 9 | Dedication of the Lateran Basilica | Feast |
| Nov 30 | Saint Andrew, Apostle | Feast |
| Dec 8 | Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Solemnity |
| Dec 13 | Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr | Memorial |
| Dec 25 | Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) | Solemnity |
| Dec 26 | Saint Stephen, First Martyr | Feast |
| Dec 27 | Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist | Feast |
| Dec 28 | Holy Innocents, Martyrs | Feast |
The Catholic liturgical calendar is the annual cycle of seasons, solemnities, feasts, memorials, and observances that structures the prayer and worship of the Catholic Church throughout the year. Unlike the civil calendar which begins on January 1, the liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent, typically in late November or early December. This calendar shapes the rhythm of Catholic life worldwide for over 1.3 billion believers.
The Church's year is structured around two primary cycles: the Proper of Time (Proprium de Tempore), which follows the events of Jesus' life from Advent through Pentecost, and the Proper of Saints (Proprium Sanctorum), which celebrates the lives of Mary and the saints throughout the year. These two cycles intersect and interact, with solemnities of the Lord or of Mary taking precedence over any saint's feast on the same date.
Feast days in the Catholic calendar are ranked in a hierarchy of importance: Solemnities (the highest rank, celebrating the central mysteries of faith), Feasts (major celebrations of the Lord, Mary, or apostles), Memorials (which may be obligatory or optional), and simple commemorations. This hierarchy determines which celebration takes precedence when two observances fall on the same day.
The date of Easter — the central feast of the liturgical year — is determined by the lunar calendar, which is why it falls on a different date each year. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox (March 21). This rule was established by the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and has governed Easter dating ever since for Western (Catholic and Protestant) Christianity.
Because Easter moves, all feasts that depend on it — Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, and Corpus Christi — also shift from year to year. The earliest Easter can fall is March 22, and the latest is April 25. HolidaySync computes all moveable feast dates using Butcher's algorithm, a standard mathematical formula for calculating Easter in the Gregorian calendar, ensuring precise dates for any year.
Each liturgical season and many specific feast days are associated with a prescribed color for vestments and church decorations: White or Gold for seasons and feasts of joy and glory (Christmas, Easter, feast days of Christ and Mary, saints who were not martyrs). Red for Pentecost, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and the feasts of martyrs — symbolizing the fire of the Holy Spirit and the blood of the martyrs. Violet or Purple for Advent and Lent — seasons of penance, reflection, and preparation. Green for Ordinary Time — representing hope, life, and growth in the faith. Rose is used optionally on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) and Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent) as a sign of rejoicing within penitential seasons. Black may be used at Masses for the Dead in some traditions, though white or violet are now more common.
Understanding the Catholic liturgical calendar helps Catholics and interested observers appreciate the deep structure and theological richness embedded in the Church's annual cycle of prayer. HolidaySync makes it easy to follow all these dates throughout and beyond by integrating the Catholic calendar directly into your personalized holiday tracker.
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