Traditional Catholic Calendar
Liturgical Note
The Catholic Liturgy has different rankings for feasts. On any particular day, there may be a major feast and also a minor feast of some saint. Sundays typically outrank the feast of a saint which falls on the same day. Major feasts (example: the Assumption) will outrank a Sunday. For the purpose of this online calendar, we show both the major and minor feasts, so as to give you information on each saint. But understand that the priest, using the Ordo, will say the mass for the ranking feast of that day.
Liturgical Colors
vestments worn by the priest at Mass
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White | the symbol of light, typifies innocence and purity, joy and glory |
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Red | symbolizes fire and blood, indicates burning charity and the martyrs' generous sacrifice |
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Green | the hue of plants and trees, bespeaks the hope of life eternal |
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Purple | symbolizes mortification of the senses and penance for our sins |
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Black | the universal emblem of mourning, signifies the sorrow of death and the sombreness of the tomb |
Symbols on the Calendar
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Holy Day of Obligation |
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Day of Full Abstinence - represented by Full Fish |
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Day of Partial Abstinence - represented by Half Fish |
Saint Designations
| Ab | Abbot |
| Ap | Apostle |
| C | Confessor |
| D | Doctor of the Church |
| E | Episcopate (Bishop) |
| Ev | Evangelist |
| H | Hermit |
| M | Martyr |
| Penit | Penitent |
| P | Pope |
| V | Virgin |
| Vid | Widow |
Note:
for a feast of multiple saints, the designation is repeated.
For example: MM means Martyrs (plural).
Laws of Fast
The laws of fast apply to persons between the ages of 21 and 59.
On a fast
day one may eat one full meal and two light meatless meals, which together
would not equal the main meal. Meat may be taken at the principle meal only,
except on days of abstinence. Liquids such as water, milk and fruit juices
may be
taken between meals.
Laws of Abstinence
The laws of abstinence apply to everyone 7 years of age and over.
On a day of complete abstinence, no meat, meat gravy or soup made from meat may be taken.
On a day of partial abstinence, meat may be taken once.
Ember Days
Ember days are the days at the beginning of each of the 4 seasons ordered by the Church as days of fast and abstinence. They are the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of that week, where Wednesday and Saturday are Days of Fast and Partial Abstinence, and the Friday is a Day of Fast and (of course) Full Abstinence.
Feria Days
The term “Feria” (or “Ferial”) is used to denote the days of the week with the exception of Sunday and Saturday. Today those days are called Ferial upon which no feast is celebrated. In most cases, a Ferial day has the mass of the preceding Sunday, but some Ferial days have a specific mass for that liturgical week. Feria days are numbered using the ancient method of naming Sunday as day 1 of the week. Thus, Monday is Feria II, Tuesday is Feria III, Wednesday is Feria IV, etc.
Calendar Links
By clicking on a specific link on the month page or the scroll page, you will go either:
- For Sundays and major Feasts, to the Goffine entry for the mass of that day.
- For the feast day of a Saint, to a short document (or biography) from Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a book compilation based on Butler’s Lives of the Saints, and other non-copyrighted publications dating back to the 19th century.