ADVENT
(The Ecclesiastical Year begins with Advent, a season to recollect the hope of (1) the coming Christ (his birth), and to look forward to (2) the Lord’s coming again: the Parousia.)
1. First season of the Ecclesiastical Year
2. Begins with the Sunday falling upon or nearest St. Andrew’s Day (Nov. 30th), however an easier way to calculate the beginning of Advent: Advent begins 4 Sundays before Christmas Day, not counting Christmas Day if it falls on a Sunday. There are always four Sundays in Advent.
3. Originated out of early Christian practice having to do with a fasting period for candidates who were to be received into the fellowship on January 6th (Epiphany Day) when it served as a time for study and preparation.
4. Often called, “Winter Lent,” Advent is considered a period of penitence in preparation for the coming of the Savior: (1) the human Incarnation of Christ ; (2) the “Second Coming” of Christ in glory at the end of time (Parousia).
5. Liturgical color is purple or violet (less often, blue) which represents penitence as well as the “royal” color (Kingship of Christ).
6. Key Words and Phrases: Prepare, Watch, Wait, Darkness, Anticipation; Humility; Expectation; Hope; Listen; Evening;
CHRISTMAS
(The Celebration of Christmas begins at sundown (Vespers) on Christmas Eve.)
1. Christmas does not begin until sundown (of the office of Vespers) on December 24th, Christmas Eve and lasts twelve days, ending with sundown (Vespers) on January 5th.
2. Christmas was “borrowed” from a Pagan festival celebrating the birth of the sun-god, better known as the winter solstice (around December 22nd). Christians borrowed this festival and many of its customs which celebrated the time when the days (light) began to get longer. Early Christian leaders knew that if they were to have any success at establishing this new Christian religion, they would have to build and adapt from already extant Pagan feasts.
3. Early church did not celebrate Christmas, although they did recognize December 25th as the birthday of Jesus Christ, more accurately, as the date chosen at random to commemorate Christ’s birth.
4. Actual date of Jesus’s birth is not known; scholars now think it was AD 5
5. A season of great joy at the fulfillment of God’s promise
6. Liturgical color is white or gold, representing cleanliness, purity and joy. White is the color for most Christian Festivals, although it might only be used on the actual day of the celebration, possibly changing to another color if the celebration continues for more than a single day.
7. Key Words and Phrases: Joy; Light; Rejoice; Angels; Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Glory to God in the Highest); Manger; Holy Family; Lullaby; Proclamation; Adoration; Bethlehem; Gift; Ring; Rose; Shepherd; Star; Noel; Virgin
EPIPHANY
(Epiphany means to “manifest” or to “show” and is a day for commemorating God’s self-manifestation to all people .)
1. Epiphany Day is January 6th, often called “Twelfth Night,” since it is 12 days after the celebration of Jesus’s birth (December 25th).
2. Epiphany is the second oldest of the major Christian celebrations.
3. Epiphany comes from a similar Pagan celebration as Christmas. It was a time to celebrate the rebirth of the sun-god, Aeon. Whereas Christmas was not a celebration or a feast day to early Christians, Epiphany was a feast day and celebration.
4. Epiphany commemorates the manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles; The Baptism of Christ is celebrated in Epiphany as well as Christ’s presentation in the temple.
5. Epiphany commemorates the visit of the Magi to Jesus
6. There is a heightened interest in the missionary task of the Church.
7. The color for Epiphany Day is White or Gold, representing cleanliness, purity and joy. In churches that celebrate a season of Epiphany *, the color after the actual Epiphany Day celebration is green representing new growth; new life.
Many churches now celebrate Epiphany as a one-day celebration. Others celebrate Epiphany as an entire season that continues up to the feast of the Transfiguration, which is celebrated on the Sunday prior to Ash Wednesday.)
8. Key Words and Phrases: Magi; Wise Men; Star; Morning Star; Light; New Life; Visitation; Sun; New Moon; Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh; Gifts; Presentation; Bright; Guiding; Following; Leading; Celestial References; Kings; East
ORDINARY TIME
(The designation of Ordinary Time came about from reforms following Vatican II. It fills the time between Epiphany and the beginning of Lent and between Pentecost Day and the beginning of Advent.)
1. After Vatican II (1964-1969), liturgical churches designated Epiphany, Pentecost and Trinity as single-day celebrations. The old practice was to observe a “season” of Epiphany and a “season” of Pentecost or a Season of Trinity. In fact, these are one-day celebrations.
The only reason for the old system was a way to keep track of liturgical time rather than to serve as a liturgical reference for the nature of the season. Thus, it was deemed inaccurate and now, Ordinary Time is observed in ecumenical fashion in churches all over the world. Some churches still cling to the old designations.
2. Ordinary Time is not a season but is a more accurate way of keeping liturgical time. The Sundays of Ordinary Time celebrate the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection, and the unfolding presence of the new creation. Ordinary time is when we hear and study the events in Jesus’s earthly ministry and teaching – the life of our Lord. By observing Ordinary Time, it heightens the extra-ordinary celebrations of Christmas and Easter.
3. Ordinary Time presents us with the ongoing opportunity to witness to the living Lord.
4. Ordinary Time is the longest period in the Liturgical calendar. The interruption of Ordinary Time by the Christmas and Easter cycles results in two segments of Ordinary
Time. Thus Ordinary Time is a period of from four to nine weeks following Epiphany Day (January 6th) and a period of about one-half of the year, from 23-28 weeks following Pentecost and Trinity.
5. At the beginning and end of each of these periods are transitional Sundays that move the church from what has preceded to what is to follow.
6. The first two Sundays that follow Epiphany develop some of the emphases of Epiphany, namely, Jesus’ baptism on the Sunday immediately following Epiphany and the marriage of Cana on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Sunday that concludes this part of Ordinary Time is the TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD, which serves as a transition to a focus upon what is to happen Jerusalem, Christ’s dying and rising.
7. The Sunday that follows Pentecost is Trinity Sunday, underscoring the trinitarian nature
of the Easter cycle that preceded it. The Sundays that conclude this part of Ordinary Time, and especially the final Sunday before Advent (CHRIST THE KING) are eschatological (concerned with ‘end times’) in character. These Sundays move the church toward Advent with its focus on the new age that is to come.
8. Liturgical color for Ordinary Time is green except for the following one-day celebrations: Baptism of the Lord (white); Transfiguration of the Lord (white); Trinity Sunday (white); All Saints’ Day (November 1st – white); and Christ the King Sunday (white).
9. Key Words and Phrases: anything to do with the life and ministry of Christ; and many other themes, too numerous to list.
(In a few weeks, look for part 2.)