The Calendar
The Christian Year
Sundays
All Sundays celebrate the paschal mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ. Nevertheless, they also reflect the character of the seasons in which they are set.
Principal Holy Days
The principal holy days which are to be observed are:
Christmas Day 25 December
Easter Day
The Day of Pentecost (Whitsunday)
On these days the Holy Communion is celebrated in every cathedral and parish church unless the ordinary shall otherwise direct.
The Epiphany 6 January
In any year where there is a Second Sunday of Christmas The Epiphany may be observed on that Sunday.
The Presentation of Christ 2 February
The Presentation of Christ may be observed on the Sunday falling between 28 January and 3 February.
Maundy Thursday
The Ascension Day
Trinity Sunday
All Saints’ Day 1 November
All Saints’ Day may be observed on the Sunday falling between 30 October and 5 November.
On these days it is fitting that the Holy Communion be celebrated in every cathedral and in each parish church or in a church within a parochial union or group of parishes.
Good Friday is also a principal holy day.
The liturgical provision for the above days may not be displaced by any other observance.
The Seasons
Advent
The four Sundays and weekdays preceding Christmas Day
Christmas
Christmas Day to the eve of The Epiphany
When Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, 1 January is the Second Sunday of Christmas
Epiphany
From The Epiphany to the Presentation of Christ
When 6 January is a Sunday the Festival of the Baptism of our Lord is observed on 13 January.
Lent
From Ash Wednesday to Easter Eve
Within Lent the last two weeks are commonly called Passiontide.
Easter
The Fifty Days from Easter Day to the Day of Pentecost
Within Eastertide no festival listed below may displace the celebration of Sunday as a memorial of the Resurrection.
Rogation Days are the three days before the Ascension Day, when prayer is offered for God’s blessing on the fruits of the earth and human labour.
The nine days following the Ascension Day until Pentecost are days of prayer and preparation to celebrate the outpouring of the Spirit.
Ordinary Time
There are two parts of the year which are not included in seasons. In the first, from the day after the Presentation of Christ to Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, Sundays are designated as Sundays before Lent, the number depending on the date of Easter. In the second, from the Monday after the Day of Pentecost to the Eve of Advent Sunday, Sundays are designated in relation to Trinity Sunday, the last five as Sundays before Advent.
On the very rare occasions when there are twenty-two Sundays between Trinity Sunday and the Fifth Sunday before Advent, the Collect and Postcommunion of the Third Sunday before Lent are used on the Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity.
Days of Special Observance
Ash Wednesday, the First Day of Lent
The Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week
Easter Eve
No celebration of a festival takes place during Holy Week.
Days of Discipline and Self-Denial
Ash Wednesday
The other weekdays of Lent
All Fridays in the year except Christmas Day, The Epiphany, the Fridays following Christmas Day and Easter, and festivals outside the season of Lent
Festivals
The Naming and Circumcision of Jesus1 January
The Baptism of our LordThe First Sunday after The Epiphany
The Conversion of Saint Paul25 January
Saint Brigid1 February
Saint Patrick17 March
Saint Joseph of Nazareth 19 March
The Annunciation of our Lord25 March
Saint Mark the Evangelist25 April
Saint Philip and Saint James, Apostles1 May
Saint Matthias 14 May
The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary31 May
Saint Columba9 June
Saint Barnabas11 June
The Birth of Saint John the Baptist24 June
Saint Peter29 June
Saint Thomas3 July
Saint Mary Magdalene 22 July
Saint James the Apostle25 July
The Transfiguration of our Lord6 August
Saint Bartholomew24 August
The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary8 September
Saint Matthew21 September
Saint Michael and all Angels29 September
Saint Philip the Deacon11 October
Saint Luke18 October
Saint James, the Brother of our Lord23 October
Saint Simon and Saint Jude28 October
The Kingship of ChristThe Sunday before Advent
Saint Andrew30 November
Saint Stephen26 December
Saint John the Evangelist27 December
The Holy Innocents28 December
Liturgical provision is made for the above days in this book.
Ember Days
Days of prayer for those ordained or preparing for ordination: the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after the first Sunday in Lent, the Day of Pentecost, 14 September and 13 December.
These may be varied by the ordinary to relate to times of ordination in the diocese.
Rules to Order Observance of Festivals
Festivals falling on a Sunday may be transferred to the following Monday or at the discretion of the minister to the next suitable weekday.
Festivals falling on the first Sunday of Christmas may be observed on that day or transferred to the next available weekday.
When Saint Patrick’s Day falls on the Sixth Sunday in Lent or the Monday or Tuesday of Holy Week it is observed on the previous Saturday. When Saint Patrick’s Day falls on another Sunday of Lent it may be observed on the Sunday or on the previous Saturday or the following Monday.
When Saint Joseph’s Day or the Annunciation of our Lord falls on a Sunday in Lent or in Holy Week they are observed on the Monday following the Second Sunday of Easter or at the discretion of the minister on another suitable weekday in the same week.
When the Annunciation of our Lord or Saint Mark’s Day falls in the first week of Easter they are observed on the Monday following the Second Sunday of Easter or at the discretion of the minister on another suitable weekday in the same week.
Festivals falling on a Sunday of Eastertide are observed on the Monday following or at the discretion of the minister on another suitable weekday in the same week.
When Saint Columba’s Day or Saint Barnabas’ Day falls on Trinity Sunday they are observed on the Monday following or at the discretion of the minister on another suitable weekday in the same week.
Festivals not covered by the above rules may be observed on the Sunday or on a suitable weekday in the same week.
Commemorations
A list of persons associated with dioceses of the Church in Ireland.
Some are church founders, some are reformers and re-builders, some went as missionaries to carry the Gospel to other lands. Dates are those linked with their names; some are those of the anniversary of their deaths. These are included for reference and to remind us of the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in the Church in all ages. The post-Reformation ‘worthies’ included reflect the Church of Ireland’s relationship with other parts of the Anglican Communion.
Munchin, abbot. Limerick diocese. 7th century2 January
Edan, bishop. Ferns diocese. 63231 January
BRIGID or Bríd, Abbess of Kildare. circa 5251 February
Kieran of Seirkieran. Ossory diocese. circa 5455 March
PATRICK. 46117 March
Macartan, bishop. Clogher diocese. circa 50524 March
Laserian, abbot. Leighlin diocese. 63918 April
Assicus (or Tassach), bishop. Elphin diocese. 47027 April
Comgall of Bangor, abbot. Down diocese. 60210 May
Carthagh, bishop. Lismore diocese. 63714 May
Brendan, the Navigator. Ardfert & Clonfert dioceses. 57716 May
Kevin. Glendalough diocese. 6183 June
Jarlath. Tuam diocese. circa 5506 June
Colman. Dromore diocese. 6th century7 June
COLUMBA. Abbot of Iona. 5979 June
Richard FitzRalph, archbishop. Armagh. 136027 June
Moninne of Killeavy. Armagh diocese. 5186 July
Kilian, bishop and martyr. Kilmore diocese. 6898 July
Declan of Ardmore, bishop. Cloyne diocese. 5th century24 July
Felim. Kilmore diocese. circa 5609 August
Crumnathy (or Nathi). Achonry diocese. circa 610 9 August
Muredach (or Murtagh). Killala diocese. circa 48012 August
Jeremy Taylor, bishop. Down and Connor and Dromore. 166713 August
Fachtna (or Fachanan), bishop. Ross diocese. 6th century14 August
Charles Inglis, bishop in N. America from Raphoe. 181616 August
Oengus Mac Nisse of Dalriada. Connor diocese. 5143 September
Ciarán of Clonmacnoise. circa 5459 September
Finnian of Movilla in the Ards. Down diocese. 57910 September
Ailbhe, bishop. Emly diocese. circa 52612 September
Eunan, abbot. Raphoe diocese. 7th century23 September
Fin Barre. Cork diocese. 62325 September
Canice, bishop. Ossory diocese. 6th century11 October
Móibhí, teacher. 54512 October
Gall, missionary. Down diocese. 63016 October
Otteran, abbot. Waterford diocese. 56327 October
Malachy, bishop. Armagh and Down dioceses. 11483 November
Laurence O’Toole. Dublin and Glendalough dioceses. 118014 November
Columbanus, abbot. Down diocese. 615 23 November
Colman. Cloyne diocese. 60124 November
Finnian of Clonard, abbot. Meath diocese. circa 54912 December
Flannan. Killaloe diocese. 64018 December