Catholic Calendar of Saints and Holy Days

The liturgical year is full of special occasions to reflect on our faith and the great mysteries of Christianity. Below is an overview of some of the major Catholic holidays and celebrations:

Solemnities and Other Liturgical Holidays

January 1 : Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
Sunday between January 2-8: Epiphany
Date varies: Ash Wednesday - Marks the beginning of Lent
Sunday before Easter: Palm Sunday - Commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem
Thursday before Easter: Holy Thursday - Commemorates the Last Supper
Friday before Easter: Good Friday - Remembers the crucifixion and death of Jesus
Date varies: Easter Sunday - Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ
40 days after Easter: Ascension
50 days after Easter: Pentecost - Celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles
Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday
Thursday after Trinity Sunday: Corpus Christi - Honors the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
August 15: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
November 1: All Saints' Day - Honors all saints, known and unknown
Last Sunday of Ordinary Time: Christ the King - Honors Christ's dominion over all creation
December 8: Immaculate Conception
December 25: Christmas - Celebrates the nativity of Jesus

Other Major Celebrations and Devotions

40 days before Easter: Lent - Period of prayer, fasting and almsgiving
Week before Easter: Holy Week - Remembers the final week of Jesus' life
Sunday after Easter: Divine Mercy Sunday - Honors Christ's divine mercy
May: Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary
June: Devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
October: Devotions to the Holy Rosary
November 2: All Souls' Day - Commemorates the faithful departed
4 weeks before Christmas: Advent - Period of preparation for Christmas

Marian Apparitions and Feast Days

Apparitions of Mary are a significant part of Catholic devotional life. Celebrating the feast days of the various titles of Mary helps us remember her maternal care and her role in salvation history.

February 11: Our Lady of Lourdes – Commemorates the apparition of Mary at Lourdes
May 13: Our Lady of Fatima – Commemorates the first apparition of Mary at Fatima
July 16: Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Commemorates the giving of the Brown Scapular to St. Simon Stock
October 7: Our Lady of the Rosary – Commemorates the victory at the Battle of Lepanto and honors Mary's intercession through the rosary
October 12: Our Lady of the Pillar - Commemorates the apparition of Mary to St. James the Greater
December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe – Honors the apparition of Mary to St. Juan Diego

Selected Saint Feast Days

The feast days of popular and beloved saints are also special occasions to reflect on their lives and learn from their example of holiness.

February 5: St. Agatha – Virgin and martyr, patron saint of breast cancer patients
March 17: St. Patrick – Patron saint of Ireland
March 19: St. Joseph – Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
May 22: St. Rita of Cascia – Patron saint of impossible causes, difficult marriages, and parenthood
June 13: St. Anthony of Padua – Franciscan friar, Doctor of the Church, patron of lost items
July 11: St. Benedict – Founder of Western monasticism
July 22: St. Mary Magdalene – Disciple of Jesus, first witness to the Resurrection
July 26: St. Anne – Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary
July 25: St. Christopher – Patron saint of travelers
September 29: Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael – Honors these three archangels
October 1: St. Thérèse of Lisieux – The "Little Flower" known for her "little way" of spiritual childhood
October 4: St. Francis of Assisi – Founder of the Franciscan Order
October 16: St. Gerard Majella – Redemptorist brother, patron of expectant mothers and unborn children
October 28: St. Jude – Patron of hope and impossible causes
November 17: St. Elizabeth – Mother of St. John the Baptist
December 6: St. Nicholas – Bishop of Myra, patron of children

Celebrating the lives of the saints and the special role of Mary in salvation history can help us grow in faith, hope, and love. Consider learning more about these saints and reflecting on their examples of holiness. A devotional item or rosary related to a particular saint can also be a great help in asking for their intercession.