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Liturgical Calendar
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A Glossary of Church-Related Language
The Liturgical Calendar
The Liturgy is the ritual of the church as used in public worship. A Liturgist is a worship leader. From the Greek leitourgia, leitourgia, a public service.
The Liturgical Calendar is the calendar of the church, which sets and follows the religious seasons of the year. Each day or season of the Liturgical Year is associated with a color or colors, which may be used in the decoration of the church, and in the vestments of the celebrants. The following Liturgical Calendar shows the seasons and Holy Days recognized by The United Methodist Church.
| Day/Season |
Description |
Color |
| Season of Advent |
Advent marks the beginning of the church year. The first day of Advent occurs four Sundays before Christmas Day (December 25). |
Purple (Traditional)
Blue |
| Season of Christmas |
Begins on Christmas Eve (December 24) and extends the 12 Days to the eve of Epiphany. |
White or Gold |
| Epiphany of the Lord |
January 6 |
White or Gold |
| Season after (of) Epiphany |
Begins on the Sunday following the Epiphany of the Lord and extends until Lent. Also known as "Ordinary Time". |
Green |
| Transfiguration of the Lord |
Sunday before the beginning of Lent |
White |
| Ash Wednesday |
The first day of Lent |
Purple |
| Lent |
Begins on Ash Wednesday - 40 days, plus Sundays, prior to Easter. February or March. |
Purple |
| Holy Week |
The week immediately prior to Easter. Begins with Palm Sunday, and includes Maundy (or Holy) Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday. |
Purple. Black - or no color - may be used to drape the church from Good Friday to Holy Saturday |
| Easter Sunday |
Calculated to fall on the Sunday following the first full moon following the Vernal (Spring) Equinox (!) No earlier than March 22, and no later than April 25. We have a calculator which generates future and past dates for Easter and other Holy Days. |
White or Gold |
| Season of Easter |
The fifty days following Easter Sunday, ending on Pentecost. |
White or Gold |
| Ascension |
Forty days after Easter - observed the following Sunday (last Sunday of Easter) in The United Methodist Church. |
White or Gold |
| Pentecost |
The Sunday 50 days after Easter Sunday |
Red |
| Trinity Sunday |
The first Sunday after Pentecost |
White |
| Season after Pentecost |
The period between Pentecost and Advent. Also known as "Ordinary Time" |
Green |
| All Saints Day |
November 1 (May be celebrated the Sunday after). |
White |
| Christ the King Sunday |
Sunday before the beginning of Advent |
White |
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