There are many components to the liturgical year which make it very complex. Some of these components include special seasons, feasts, symbols, and colours which have to be attended to. The following paragraphs will discuss these ideas with more detail.
Initially, there are many seasons in the liturgical year that all have an important significance attached with them (“Liturgical Calendar”, st-augustine-church.org). These seasons are Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, Triduum, and Easter (“Liturgical Calendar”, st-augustine-church.org).
The Advent season has a very important significance (“Advent and Christmas”, catholic-resources.org). Advent is significant because Catholics are preparing themselves and their hearts for the coming of Jesus Christ (“Advent and Christmas”, catholic-resources.org). Advent is also significant because it is a season that marks the beginning of a new liturgical year (“Advent and Christmas”, catholic-resources.org). This season is intended to prepare people for the Christmas season that is coming (“Advent and Christmas”, catholic-resources.org).
The season of Advent begins approximately four weeks before Christmas and ends on the feast of Christmas, which officially begins the Christmas season (Zanzig & Allaire 254).
The Christmas season also bears a very important meaning (“Christmas”, religionfacts.com). It is the season that begins with the celebration of Jesus’ birth (“Christmas”, religionfacts.com). During the Christmas season, many of the other events that occurred around this time are also celebrated. For example, another event that is celebrated around this time is when the angel appeared to the shepherds and told them that there is a newborn king to visit (“Christian Hol...
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Just, Felix. "Resources for Liturgy and Prayer for the Seasons of Advent and Christmas." The Catholic Lectionary Website. Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D., 25 Nov. 2013. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. .
Wagner, Richard. "Christian Holidays, Holy Days, and Seasons." For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2014. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. .
Wilson-Smith, Stuart, C.S.P. "A Walk Through Triduum." Church of the Annunciation. Church of the Annunciation, 29 Mar. 2013. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. .
Zanzig, Thomas, and Barbara Allaire. Understanding Catholic Christianity. Winona: Saint Mary's Press, 1997. Print.
Wilson, Barbara S., Arlene Flancher, and Susan T. Erdey. The Episcopal Handbook. New York, NY: Morehouse Pub., 2008. Print.
Nothaft, C. The Origins of the Christmas Date: Some Recent Trends in Historical Research. Church
"The English Translation of The Order of the Catholic Mass." The Catholic pe.co.za. International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2014. .
... preparation of the celebration of Jesus’ birth and his second coming. This leads all the way up to Christmas Eve, and ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Then, Lent occurs: the preparation time that the believer takes to reflect upon their religious practices and values. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, and ends on Holy Thursday. Holy Thursday marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum. The Easter Triduum includes: Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. The significance of the Easter Triduum is honoring: The Last Supper, death, burial, and resurrection. After the Triduum, Pentecost follows; during this time we honor the descent of the Holy Spirit, which is known as the Ascension of Jesus. After the Ascension of Jesus, we enter Ordinary Time. This Liturgical Season is followed closely by Catholics, this is a prime example of living out their faith.
Molnar, Enrico. "The Liturgical Reforms of John Hus." Speculum. 41.2 (1995): 297-303. Web. 1 May. 2012.
Brown, Raymond. A Crucified Christ in Holy Week: Essays on the Four Gospel Passion Narratives. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1986.
The meaning and use of types of prayer and scripture are introduced in The Apostolic Tradition and the contemporary Catholic liturgy, revealing a connection and development among them. One section of The Apostolic Tradition focuses on the offering of cheese and olives however, it includes a prayer that is used in the modern Catholic Liturgy. “But in every blessing shall be said: To you be glory, to the Father and the Son with the holy Spirit, in the holy Church, both now and always and to all the ages of ages.” This prayer is used to express the gratitude in the special offering of cheese and olives which symb...
Christmas was originally called "The Feast of the Nativity of Jesus". The word "nativity" comes from the Latin word Natalis, meaning birthday. The observance probably does not date earlier than 200 AD and did not become widespread until the 4th century. The actual date of Jesus birth is unknown but what is known is that Christian leaders in 336 A.D. set the date to December 25 in an attempt to eclipse a popular pagan holiday in Rome. The date of Christmas coincides closely with the winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere, a time of rejoicing among many ancient cultures. Christmas, as the great popular festival of Western Europe, dates from the Middle Ages.
Throughout history, countless traditions have been created to celebrate several holidays. Many of those who celebrate the holiday traditions are unaware of their origins, but naturally accept them as cultural customs. To be specific, the popular Christian holiday, Christmas, has influenced many traditions including the stories of Santa Claus, the exchanging of gifts, the placement of trees in homes, and the decoration of glowing lights.
ChristmasThe year's most celebrated holiday is celebrated on December 25th, both in homes and churches worldwide. The meaning for Christmas is to recognize Christ's birth, of which the exact date is not known. During the fourth century the Bishop of Rome set December 25th as Christ's birth date. Some authorities claim that the choice of December 25th was made because it coincided with Chanukah, Mithraic's feast of the sun god, and the people of northern Europe's winter solstice feast. The winter solstice is the time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when the noon sun appears to be farthest south. (All About American Holidays, 1962 Encyclopedia Encarta, 1998)The Saturnalia was celebrated for seven days, during the period of time when the winter solstice occurred.
Who wouldn’t think Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year? Santa comes to give presents to good people who have done good things each Christmas. People anticipate to see what presents they will get for Christmas each year. Families get together for the holiday and play games, talk, and celebrate what Christmas is all about. Christmas is all about Christ, and people learn about Him by listening to the radio, which may play Christmas carols, such as Carol of the Bells.
The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved February 21, 2010 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org
...days to remember great saints, and so forth. They also have a couple that are specific to their own history, including the celebration of Reformation Day on October 31st, generally regarded as the day when Martin Luther launched the Reformation. Interestingly enough, it coincided with All Saints Day celebrations, where the Church remembers all who have died in Christ with the hope of salvation and redemption.
Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. No one knows the exact date of Christ's birth, but most Christians observe Christmas on December 25. On this day, many go to church, where they take part in special religious services. During the Christmas season, they also exchange gifts and decorate their homes with holly, mistletoe, and Christmas trees
I attended Mass at my local parish, the Parish of St. Francis de Sales, on Sunday, October 9th, in order to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist. This also happens to be the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time because the priest of the parish, Father Phan, wore green in order to symbolize life, anticipation for the coming of Christ, and hope. The liturgical season of Ordinary Time is also significant because it focuses on the fruits of Jesus’s three-year public ministry, his educational parables, and his extraordinary miracles. The season of Ordinary Time also serves as a reminder that the Church’s mission, our mission, is to not only share the life and hope of Jesus