Solemnity
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A Solemnity of the Roman Catholic Church is a principal holy day in the liturgical calendar, usually commemorating an event in the life of Jesus, Mary, or the saints. The observance begins in the evening prior to the actual date.
The word is taken from the Latin sollemnitas, a term of uncertain origin but possibly derived from sollus (whole) and annus (year), indicating a celebration occurring at yearly intervals.
Solemnities of the General Roman Calendar
| January 1 | Mary, Mother of God (formerly known as the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ) |
| January 6 | Epiphany; observed in the United States on the Sunday between Jan 2 & 8 |
| March 19 | Joseph, Husband of Mary |
| March 25 | Annunciation |
| March/April (varies) | Easter Sunday |
| 40 days after Easter | Ascension Thursday, moved to the following Sunday in some areas |
| 50 days after Easter | Pentecost |
| Sunday after Pentecost | Holy Trinity |
| Thursday after Holy Trinity | Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), moved to the following Sunday in some areas |
| Friday twelve days after Holy Trinity | Feast of the Sacred Heart |
| June 24 | Birth of John the Baptist |
| June 29 | Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles |
| August 15 | Assumption of Mary |
| November 1 | All Saints |
| November (last Sunday before Advent) | Christ the King |
| December 8 | Immaculate Conception of Mary |
| December 25 | Christmas |
These solemnities are observed throughout the entire Roman Catholic Church. In addition, there are some which are observed in particular regions or religious orders. For example the feast of Saint Patrick on 17 March is a solemnity in Ireland, and the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 16 July is a solemnity for the Carmelites.
Some solemnities are also Holy Days of Obligation, on which Catholics are required to attend Mass; some are not. If a solemnity falls on a Sunday, the Mass is celebrated with the readings and prayers appropriate to the particular feast, rather than to the particular Sunday. The Creed is recited at Mass, and there are two scriptural readings (in addition to a psalm or extract from one) before the Gospel. Fridays which fall on solemnities are not days of fast and abstinence.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Universalis An excellent liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church including the liturgy of the hours and the mass readings.
