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JMJ
Saints days and feast days fall into a number
of categories. The highest category is called a Solemnity. There are 15 Solemnities on the Church calendar; they
are: Jan. 1: The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Theotokos) Jan. 6: Epiphany Mar. 19: St. Joseph, Husband of Mary Mar. 25: Annunciation -------- Holy Trinity [First
Sunday after Pentecost] --------
Corpus Christi [Thursday after Holy Trinity] -------- Sacred
Heart of Jesus [Friday after Second Sunday
after Pentecost --------
Immaculate Heart of Mary [Saturday after the Second Sunday after
Pentecost Jun. 24
Birth of John the Baptist Jun.
29 Sts. Peter and Paul Aug.
15 Assumption of Mary Nov.
1 All Saints ---------
Christ the King [Last Sunday of the Liturgical Year] Dec. 8 Immaculate Conception of Mary Dec. 25 Christmas At the next level are the 25 Feast Days: Jan. 25 Conversion of St. Paul -------- Baptism of the Lord [Sunday after Jan. 6] -------- Holy Family [Sunday within
the Octave of Christmas] Feb. 2
Presentation of the Lord Feb. 22
Chair of Peter Apr. 25
St. Mark, the Evangelist May
3 Philip and James, Apostles May
14 Matthias, Apostle May
31 Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth Jul.
3 St. Thomas, Apostle Jul.
25 St. James, Apostle Aug.
6 Transfiguration Aug.
10 St. Lawrence Aug.
24 Bartholomew, Apostle Sep.
8 Birth of Mary Sep.
14 Triumph of the Holy Cross Sep.
21 Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist Sep.
29 Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Archangels Oct. 18 Luke, Evangelist Oct. 28 Simon and Jude, Apostles Nov. 9 Dedication of St. John Lateran Nov. 30 Andrew, Apostle Dec. 26 Stephen, the first Martyr Dec. 27 John, Apostle and Evangelist Dec. 28 Holy Innocents At the third level are Memorials and at the fourth are Optional Memorials. Not all Solemnities are Holy Days of Obligation but all Holy Days of Obligation are Solemnities.
Every Sunday is considered a Solemnity and could be regarded as a Holy Day of Obligation. The calendar was revised after Vatican II and the memorials and feasts in the new calendar are called
memorials and feasts of the Novus Ordo. Sundays and feasts before 1962 are called "Old" or "Traditional."
When a Latin Mass is celebrated, the "Old" or "Traditional" calendar is used. The lowest category consists
of "Historical" saints. These are saints who have been removed from the Universal Calendar altogether,
such as St. Christopher, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Philomena, St. Dismas (the Good Thief), St. Gemma Galgani, and St.
Dominic Savio, and so forth. These saints used to have memorials. On the other hand, they remain as saints
of the Church and their lives and examples can and should also be studied and emulated.
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May the Peace of Christ always be with you.