Movable_Western_Christian_observances
List of movable Western Christian observances
Religious events and holidays
This is a list of movable observances within Western Christianity. It includes secular observances which are calculated by religious observances.
This article needs to be updated. (February 2023) |
This list does not necessarily imply either official status nor general observance.
January
First Sunday of the year, unless the Sunday falls on January 1, 6, or 7, then January 2: January 5
- Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (Roman Catholicism, according to the General Roman Calendar of 1960)
First Monday: January 6
Monday after January 6: January 12
- Baptism of the Lord – (Western Christianity in countries where Epiphany is celebrated on January 7 or 8)
Sunday following January 6: January 12
- Baptism of the Lord (Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, Lutheranism, in countries where Epiphany is celebrated on January 7 or 8)
- Plough Sunday (England)
Day after Plough Sunday: January 13
Third Sunday: January 19
February
9th Sunday before Easter in Western Christianity: February 9
2nd Sunday before Ash Wednesday (Western Christianity): February 16
Last Thursday before Lent (Western Christianity): February 20
Saturday before Ash Wednesday: February 22
Sunday before Ash Wednesday (Western Christianity): February 23
Monday before Ash Wednesday: February 24
Tuesday before Ash Wednesday: February 25
46 days before Easter: February 26
Friday after Ash Wednesday: February 28
March
First Sunday of Lent: March 1
March 19, unless the 19th is a Sunday, then March 20: March 19
- Feast of Joseph of Nazareth (Western Christianity)
- Father's Day (Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Honduras, and Bolivia)
- Las Fallas, celebrated on the week leading to March 19. (Valencia)
- "Return of the Swallow", annual observance of the swallows' return to Mission San Juan Capistrano in California.
Fourth Sunday of Lent, 21 days before Easter Sunday: March 22
Fifth Sunday of Lent: March 29
- Passion Sunday (celebrated in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite according to the General Roman Calendar of 1960)
April
Week before Easter:
- Holy Week
- Palm Sunday: April 5
- Holy Monday: April 6
- Holy Tuesday: April 7
- Holy Wednesday: April 8
- Maundy Thursday: April 9
- Good Friday: April 10
Second Friday of April: April 10
- Fast and Prayer Day (Liberia)
- Holy Saturday: April 11
Easter Week: April 12-18
- Easter: April 12 (Eastertide begins)
- Easter Monday: April 13
- Family Day (South Africa)
- Śmigus-Dyngus, regional variant of Easter Monday (Poland, Ukraine)
- Easter Tuesday: April 14(Public holiday in Tasmania)
- Easter Wednesday: April 15
- Easter Thursday: April 16
- Easter Friday: April 17
- Easter Saturday: April 18
Sunday after Easter: April 19
Sunday before Earth Day (April 22): April 19
May
Third Sunday after Easter: May 3
Monday and Tuesday in the week following the third Sunday of Easter: May 4–5
Fourth Sunday after Easter: May 10
Fourth Friday after Easter: May 15
Third Sunday of May:
Sunday preceding the Rogation days: May 17
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday preceding Feast of the Ascension: May 18–20
- Minor Rogation days
39 days after Easter: May 21
Seventh Sunday/49 days after Easter: May 31
June
Day after Whitsun: June 1
Day after Whit Monday: June 2
First Thursday after start of Pentecost: June 4
Friday of the week of Whitsun: June 5
First Sunday after Pentecost: June 7
Thursday after Trinity Sunday; 60 days after Easter, or the Sunday immediately following this: June 11
First Thursday after Corpus Christi: June 12
19 days after Pentecost: June 18
Sunday nearest to June 29: June 28
July
Second Sunday in July: July 12
Last Sunday in July: July 26
August
Third Weekend: August 15-16
September
Thursday following the first Sunday: September 6
First Sunday after September 4: September 6
- Start of Wakes Week (Parts of England and Scotland)
Weekend after first Monday: September 7
Second Sunday: September 13
- Education Sunday (British Churches)
- Racial Justice Sunday (British Churches)
Third Sunday: September 20
Monday after third Sunday: September 20
October
First Sunday: October 4
Second Sunday: October 11
Last Sunday: October 25
- Feast of Christ the King (Tridentine Mass Catholics)
November
Saturday between October 31 – November 6:
- All Saints' Day (Finland and Sweden only)
Second Sunday before Advent: November 8
Second Wednesday before the First Sunday in Advent: November 11
- Buß- und Bettag (Saxony, Germany, Lutheran, Reformed (Calvinist) and United denominations)
Sunday nearest November 11: November 14
- Remembrance Sunday (United Kingdom and certain Commonwealth countries)
Last Sunday before First Advent Sunday: November 22
- Feast of Christ the King (Roman Catholic)
- Stir-up Sunday (Anglican Church)
- Totensonntag (mainly Lutheran)
- World Youth Day (Next International-level World Youth Day will be in August 2023 Roman Catholicism)
Fourth Sunday before Christmas Day: November 29
- Advent Sunday (start of Advent, Western Christianity)
December
First Friday: December 4
First Sunday: December 6
Seven days, starting on First Monday: December 7-13
Sunday two weeks before Christmas: December 13
Second-final Sunday before Christmas Day: December 13
Thursday of the last full week before Christmas: December 17
Last Friday before Christmas: December 18
- Black Friday (partying) (secular, United Kingdom)
Last Saturday before Christmas: December 19
- Super Saturday (secular, United States)
Sunday before Christmas: December 20
Winter Solstice: December 21
The Sunday between Christmas Day and New Year's Day (both exclusive), or December 30 if both Christmas Day and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God are Sundays: December 27