Liturgical Year Sundays

The word "Advent" comes from the Latin "advenire" which means "arrival" and refers to our awaiting the arrival of the commemoration of Christ's birth, and His Second Coming. This somber, penitential season of expectation lasts from the first Sunday of Advent to December 24th. The first Sunday of Advent will be the Sunday closest to (on or before or after) Saint Andrew's day (November 30). Its color is VIOLET , but the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) is ROSE colored, a lighter shade of violet.

As it's the celebration of Christ's Incarnation, the mood of Christmastide is of humble, grateful, joyous celebration. This season lasts from Vespers of 24 December to 13 January (the Octave of the Epiphany) inclusive (19 calendar days in terms of liturgical calculations). The Feast of Christmas itself lasts 12 days ("The Twelve Days of Christmas"), but the spiritual focus of Christmas doesn't end truly until Candlemas on 2 February. Its color is WHITE or GOLD.

This season, which continues the Christmas focus on and the Divine Childhood and segues into focusing on Jesus' public ministry, lasts from 14 January to the vigil of Septuagesima Sunday (the ninth Sunday before Easter, which is the same as 3 Sundays before Ash Wednesday) inclusive (4 - 38 calendar days). Its color is GREEN.

This Season, whose name means "Seventy" and which recalls the Babylonian Exile, lasts from Septuagesima Sunday (the 3rd Sunday before Ash Wednesday, or the 10th Sunday before Easter Sunday, inclusive, with Easter counting as 1) to Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday) (16 calendar days). Its color is violet.

This season, also called "Quadraegesima," meaning "Forty," is a somber, penitential Season that recalls Christ's 40 days in the desert, prefigured by the Israelites' wandering in the desert for 40 years.

Lent lasts 40 days (but temporally includes six Sundays which aren't counted as "Lent" because Sundays are always about the Resurrection and are joyous), from Ash Wednesday to the Saturday before Easter, with the last three days -- the Sacred Triduum -- being treated separately liturgically speaking (46 calendar days). Its color is violet.

This time is the last two weeks of Lent, from Passion Sunday (the 5th Sunday of Lent) to the day before Easter Sunday. The second week of Passiontide is called "Holy Week."

The last three days of Holy Week -- i.e., Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday -- are called the Sacred Triduum.

The joyous, victorious Easter season lasts from the Easter Vigil to the day before Trinity Sunday (56 calendar days, not counting the Easter Vigil). Its color is white or gold.

The Ascension commemorates Christ's bodily return to Heaven 40 days after Easter, affirming His Divine Kingship. Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, marking the birth of the Church. Trinity Sunday honors the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, deepening the faithful's understanding of God's mystery.

This Season's focus is the Holy Spirit in the Millennium, the Church Age that we now live in, and Christ's Reign as King of Kings -- the time between the Age of the Apostles and the Age to Come. This season lasts from Trinity Sunday to the day before Advent Sunday (per the calendar, its length varies). Its color is GREEN.