The Liturgical Year

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The Liturgical Year
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Purpose of the liturgical calendar
The calendar can be separated into four seasons
that have special days set aside for
celebrating. These celebrations are special
times for remembering what is important in our
lives. These events help us connect with people
and recall significant memories.
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• Celebrations help us remember whats important
  and what we believe in.
• Ex Birthdays, anniversaries , graduations, etc.

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• Celebrations also have an important place in
  our spiritual life.
• They bring us a renewed sense of who we are as
  Gods people.

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• Through the liturgical calendar Christians
  express their faith in Christ.

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• Each Sunday, we follow a tradition which began
  with the apostles who celebrated the first day of
  the week, the Lords Day, because is was the
  day of Jesus resurrection.
• We celebrate the life, death and resurrection
  of Jesus which is called the paschal mystery.

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Each season of the liturgical year celebrates an
important aspect of Christs life and also
commemorates saints and some important events in
Marys life.
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• Each season has a particular
• theme
• color
• religious practices
• symbols

• Each season concentrates on different parts of
  the Bible.

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The Liturgical Cycle

• The Paschal mystery is celebrated through six
  specific seasons in the Churchs calendar
• Advent
• Christmas
• Ordinary Time
• Lent
• Triduum
• Easter.

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• The liturgical year is a cycle of seasons
  repeating itself at the end of each cycle.
• The year or cycle begins with Advent and ends
  with Ordinary Time.

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Symbols for each Season
Advent Christmas Ordinary
Advent wreath Nativity Chi - Ro
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Lent Triduum Easter
Ashes Cross Pascal Candle
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• Advent
• Begins in late November
• or early December.
• Four weeks prior to December 25.
• Season of spiritual expectation in preparation
  for Jesus birth as well as our hope that he will
  come again.

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Christmas

• Celebrates the birth of our Lord.
• It lasts until the Baptism of Jesus.
• The feast of the Epiphany is observed which
  signifies Jesus first manifestation to the
  Gentile world.

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Ordinary Time
Occurs twice during the year the end
of Christmas and the beginning of Lent the
end of Easter and the beginning of Advent
The focus is on the teachings and ministry of
Jesus.
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Lent

• Begins on Ash Wednesday and continues for 40
  days.
• It ends on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the
  Last Supper.
• It is a time of penance, prayer, and
  almsgiving.

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Triduum

• Three most important days of the liturgical
  year-
• Mass of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday
• Christs passion on Good Friday
• Easter Vigil during the night of Holy
  Saturday.
• These liturgies celebrate the heart of our
  faith.

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Easter

• The celebration of Easter lasts for 50 days
  ending with the coming of the Holy Spirit on
  Pentecost.
• It is an extended time celebrating the
  Resurrection and the beginning of the Church.
• The feast of Jesus Ascension comes 40 days
  after Easter.

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Themes
Advent Christmas Ordinary Time
Awaiting for the Messiah Preparing for Christmas Final Judgment The Birth of Christ The Incarnation The Public Ministry of Christ
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Lent Triduum Easter
Repentance Conversion Penance Last Supper Washing of the feet Passion and crucifixion of Christ Jesus laying in the tomb New Life Resurrection Witnessing
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Ways to Celebrate these seasons
Advent Christmas Ordinary Time
Prayer Good deeds Penance Reconciliation Acts of Kindness Peacemaking Discipleship - following the teachings of Jesus in our every day life.

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Lent Triduum Easter
Prayer Fasting Almsgiving Prayer Stations of the Cross Sharing our faith with others