St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School

The Liturgical Year

For Catholics, the Church year is the Liturgical Year, a sequence of seasons and feasts that are celebrated in the liturgy.  Unlike our traditional 365-day calendar, the purpose of the Liturgical Year Calendar is not to mark the passage of time, but to more fully celebrate and understand the entire mystery of Jesus Christ, from his Incarnation and birth until his Ascension, the day of Pentecost, and the expectation of his return in glory. During the course of a year, the Paschal Mystery—the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus—is viewed from different angles, in different lights. The Church year consists of six liturgical seasons: Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time after Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time after Pentecost.

Advent

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas.

Christmas

Christmas is one of the most important days of the Church year, second only to Easter itself. Celebrating the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ

Lent

Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter.

Easter

The word "Easter" comes from Old English, meaning simply the "East." The sun which rises in the East, bringing light, warmth, and hope, is a symbol for the Christian of the rising Christ, who is the true Light of the world.

Ordinary Time

Ordinary Time is a time for growth and maturation. We are invited during this time to grow in our relationship with God and reflect on the mysteries revealed in the Bible.