Feasts of Jesus Christ
calendar date
Feasts of Jesus Christ are specific days of the year distinguished in the liturgical calendar as being significant days for the celebration of events in the life of Jesus Christ and his veneration, for the commemoration of his relics, signs and miracles. While Easter is treated everywhere as the central religious feast in the Christian liturgical year, the other feasts differ in the liturgical practice.
In the Catholic Church
Since the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic liturgical calendar distinguishes four ranks of celebrations: solemnities, feasts, memorials, and optional memorials. Most of the celebrations of events in the life of Christ are ranked as solemnities. However, there are a few celebrations related to titles or mysteries of Christ which are ranked as feasts, and these are known collectively as "Feasts of the Lord." In the current General Calendar from the Third Edition of the Roman Missal, these are:
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, celebrated on the Sunday between December 25 and January 1, or if there is no Sunday in that range (when December 25 and January 1 fall on Sundays), on December 30.
The Baptism of the Lord, celebrated on the Sunday after January 6 (or, where the Solemnity of the Epiphany is transferred to the Sunday that occurs on January 7 or 8, on the following Monday)
The Presentation of the Lord, celebrated on 2 February
The Transfiguration of the Lord, celebrated on 6 August
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, celebrated on 14 September
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, celebrated on 9 November (this is a feast of the Lord because the basilica is dedicated to him under the title of the Most Holy Saviour).
In the pre-Vatican II usage, the term feast denoted any celebration, not just a specific rank. Hence, also celebrations which are today termed solemnities of the Lord (e.g. Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, Christ the King) were once deemed Feasts of the Lord.
In the Orthodox Church
Three main categories of feasts, distinguished in the Orthodox liturgical practice, namely
Feasts of the Lord Jesus Christ (Господские праздники, or Владычные праздники)
Feasts of the Theotokos (Богородичные праздники; by definition same to Marian feast days, the actual set differs between Catholic and Orthodox Churches)
Feasts of Saints
While Easter is treated as Feast of Feasts, the following eight feasts of Christ are assigned the highest rank of the Great Feasts in the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic liturgical calendars:
Feast of the Cross — 14 (27) September
Christmas — 25 December (7 January)
Baptism of Jesus — 6 (19) January
Presentation of Jesus at the Temple — 2 (15) February
The Raising of Lazarus (Lazarus Saturday) — Saturday before Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday — (Moveable feast)
Ascension of Jesus — (Moveable feast)
Pentecost — (Moveable feast)
Transfiguration of Jesus — 6 (19) August
Though some sources place the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple among the Great Feasts of Christ, including the above list, these sources are likely incorrect.
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