The Catholic Church started a new Liturgical Year this past Sunday, December 3rd, with the season of Advent. The liturgical year consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in the Catholic Church that determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and which portions of Scripture are to be read either in an annual cycle or in a cycle of several years. The Liturgical year has five seasons:
Advent:
It is the first season of the liturgical year in which we are waiting in preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. We use the Advent wreath which has 4 candles: 3 purple and 1 rose candle. The liturgical color is violet or purple.
Christmas:
In this liturgical season we are celebrating the Nativity of the Lord. Please, pay attention that this is a season, which goes from December 25 (Christmas Day) until the Epiphany of the Lord (known as the feast of the three kings [around January 6th]), and not only one day. The liturgical color is white.
Ordinary Time:
This liturgical year is divided into two periods: The first one goes from the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord until Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The second one goes from the Sunday after Pentecost until the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe. This time is called ordinary because everything is in order. The liturgical color is green.
Lent:
This is a season used by the Church to call us to make penance through almsgiving, fasting, prayer, and of course, the sacrament of reconciliation. This liturgical season goes from Ash Wednesday until Holy Thursday in the morning. The liturgical color is purple.
Easter Triduum:
This is not really a season, but the most important celebration for Christians. Here, we commemorate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We celebrate on Holy Thursday in the evening at the Lord’s Supper Eucharist, which the liturgical color is white, Good Friday with the Adoration of the Holy Cross, which the liturgical color is red, and Easter Vigil at Holy Saturday’s evening where we start to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord and the liturgical color is white.
Easter:
Like Christmas, this is not only a day, but a full season which starts on Easter Sunday until Pentecost (the celebration of the Holy Spirit). This season celebrates that Christ, the light of the world, is risen. Jesus Christ rose from the dead to take us to the house of the heavenly Father. We light the Paschal Candle, which was blessed on Easter Vigil during the whole Easter season. The Liturgical color is white.
God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you.
Fr. George
