Festivals and other Special Days

Every Sunday is a festival day in the church, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the first day of the week. However, certain Sundays and other days are of special significance as commemorations of important events in the life of the Church. The liturgical color for festival days is generally white, except as noted below.

Festival Days

• The first great festival in the Christian year is Christmas (December 25), celebrating the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Christmas Eve is also usually celebrated with services of carols and often Holy Communion.
• Epiphany (from the Greek epiphaneia, "appearance") is celebrated twelve days after Christmas on January 6 (also known as Twelfth Day), and commemorates the visitation by the Magi to Jesus and His mother Mary (Matthew 2:1-12). We celebrate their journey and the significance of their offerings of gold (recognizing Jesus' role as King), frankincense (recognizing Jesus' role as priest, intervening for us with God), and myrrh (foreseeing Jesus' death for our sins). The celebration of Epiphany actually predates that of Christmas.
• Transfiguration, remembering the manifestation of Christ through His transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-13, Luke 9:28-36), is celebrated on the Sunday before the commencement of Lent on Ash Wednesday.
• Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter and celebrates the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-9, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:29-44, and John 12:12-15) at the beginning of Holy Week.
• Easter Day is the great festival of the church in which we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and look forward to our own resurrection and eternal life. The date of Easter Sunday varies, but a table of Easter Day for the next several years can be found here.
• Ascension Day is the fortieth day after Easter and commemorates the ascension into heaven of Jesus Christ after His resurrection (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:9-11). Ascension Day is always on a Thursday, but often the Sunday after Ascension Day is celebrated as Ascension Sunday.
• Pentecost (from the Greek pentecoste, "fiftieth") is the fiftieth day of Easter and commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles in the form of tongues of fire (Acts 2:1-4). Pentecost is considered the "birthday of the church." Unlike other festivals, the color for Pentecost is red.
• Trinity Sunday, the Sunday after Pentecost, celebrates the Triune nature of God, as Father or Creator, Son or Redeemer, and Holy Spirit.
• All Saints Day is November 1 and commemorates those of the faith who have preceeded us in death. We remember in particular those who have died in the past year. Often All Saints Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday following All Saints Day.
• Festival of Christ the King is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Christian year before the beginning of Advent, which starts the new year.

• Ash Wednesday is a day of penitence and fasting to begin the season of Lent. The dates for Ash Wednesday for the next several years can be found here.
• Maundy Thursday, the Thursday in Holy Week, commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus and His disciples, as well as His Passion. It is usually celebrated with a service of Holy Communion.
• Good Friday, the Friday of Holy Week, commemorates Jesus' death on the cross for our sins.