The Liturgical calendar maps out the Seasons, Solemnities, Feasts and Memorials that the Roman Catholic Church observes through out the calendar year.� The Liturgical Year runs from the First Sunday of Advent, which falls shortly after the U.S. Thanksgiving Holiday, through the Solemnity of Christ the King, which normally falls on a Sunday late in November.�
The Liturgical Year is made up of seasons.� Just as nature runs its course through Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall, the Church runs the course of Christ's life in its liturgical seasons.
There are seven liturgical seasons.� In order, they are:� Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time (Part One), Lent, Triduum, Easter, and Ordinary Time (part two).�
Advent is a season of joyful expectation in which we hear "the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:� 'Prepare the way of the Lord!'" in the scriptures.� Advent reminds us that Christ will return at the end of time and that we should watch joyfully for the fulfillment of the Creator's plan of salvation.� After December 17, the season shifts to immediate preparation for the Christmas season.�
Christmas commemorates the Incarnation:� "the Word, Jesus Christ, became flesh and dwells among us."� Christmas begins at Sunset on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord which does not have a fixed date.� Alsoincluded in the Christmas season are the Solemnities of the Holy Family, Mary, Mother of God, and Epiphany.
Ordinary Time begins at sunset on the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord.� It runs until Ash Wednesday and has an intermission from Ash Wednesday through sunset of Penecost Sunday.� Ordinary Time counts the time between the other liturgical seasons.� The Church does not meditate on one aspect of Jesus' life but rather celebrates the fullness of our Redemption.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sunset of Holy Thursday.� Lent is a season of penance and preparation for the celebration of Easter, the central feast of the liturgical year.� Lent is also a time for those who are participating in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (and/orChildren) to begin intense preparation to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Communion) at the Easter Vigil.�
Triduum the Triduum is the shortest season of the liturgical year:� three days, counted sunset to sunset.� It begins at sunset on Holy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter) and ends at sunset of Easter Sunday.� It is the celebration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.� It is composed of two Eucharistic Liturgies.� The first of these begins with the� Mass of the Lord's Supper, in which the Church recalls the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood.� The Mass of the Lord's Supper concludes in silence as an intermission begins leaving the Church in prayer with the Lord Jesus, who prayed in the garder the night before he suffered.� Good Friday commemorates the Passion and Death of the Lord.� Mass is not celebrated on this day.� Only a Liturgy of the Word is held and communion from the Mass of the Lord's Supper is distributed followed by an intermission.� Holy Saturday continues the prayer vigil and intermission.� At sunset on Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil, the Church's most joyful and solemn liturgy, begins.
During the Easter Vigil, the Paschal Candle is blessed, the story of salvation is told and the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist are celebrated.� The Easter Vigil culminates with the celebration of the Eucharist.� The Triduum continues on Easter Sunday with the second Eucharistic Liturgy, the Masses of Easter Sunday,� and ends at sunset Easter Sunday, giving way to the fifty day celebration of Easter.
Easter the Easter Season is from Easter Sunday night through Penecost Sunday at sunset.� It continues the joy of the Triduum celebrating the faith in Christ's life, death and resurrection.� It leads into the continuation of the Ordinary Time.
-Shaun Lowery
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