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The Church Year

The Christmas Cycle
Advent
Christmas
Epiphany
Pre-Lent 		The Resurrection Cycle
Lent
Easter
Whitsuntide
Trinity

This is a diagram of the Seasons of the Church Year. This diagram may look strange because your church doesn't have some of these seasons. The reason for this discrepancy is due to the type of Lectionary used. The diagram displayed below is based off of the One Year Lectionary which has been in use since the time of Martin Luther. The difference started in the 1970s when the three year lectionary was implemented. Kurt Marquardt, a great Lutheran Theologian, once referred to the three year as 'vomit.' I have to agree, and this reason is due to the fact that on the one year a person could know what Sunday it is by the Gospel reading but this is not the case with the three year. I also support the use of the one year because it gives some link to our Brothers in the Faith that were before us.

You might notice if you look through the different seasons that some of them have variable lengths. There is a reason for this, and it is because the date of Easter moves. The reason for this was decided way back at the Council of Nicea A.D. 325. They had a lot of determining factors for when the date of Easter Sunday should be, and decided that they needed to fix the Sunday. Also, they used the vernal equinox as the guide, but to do this they must fix the date for the vernal equinox.
The ecclesiatical rules for the date of Easter:

  • Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon that occurs on or after the day of the vernal equinox;
  • this full moon is the 14th day of a new moon; and
  • the vernal equinox is fixed as March 21
You can read the whole story here

  1. The Christmas Cycle
    • Advent
      1. Liturgical Color
        • Violet(Royalty) or Blue (Mary or Hope)
      2. Length of the Season
        • 4 Weeks
          1. Violet Candle (Ad Te Levavi: Latin opening of Introit "Unto Thee I lift")
          2. Violet Candle (Populus Zion: Latin opening of Introit "Daughter of Zion")
          3. Rose Candle (Gaudete: Latin opening of Introit "Rejoice")
          4. Violet Candle (Rorate Coeli: Latin opening of Introit "Drop down" )
      3. Theme of the Season
        • Advent is a penitential season in preparation for Christmas. While it is penitential, the season is not as solemn as Lent. The Third Sunday, Gaudete, already anticipates the Christmas joy. However, it is a season of waiting for the promised Savior in His threefold advent: His advent in "the fullness of time," in Word and Sacraments, and at the end of time.
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    • Christmas
      1. Liturgical Color
        • White(Purity/New life)
      2. Length of the Season
        • 12 Days
      3. Theme of the Season
        • The purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the Incarnation of God the Son into human flesh as the Person of Jesus the Christ.
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    • Epiphany
      1. Liturgical Color
        • White (purity): Only for the octave of the actual day of The Epiphany of our Lord.
        • Green (growth): This is the color for the rest of Epiphany.
      2. Length of the Season
        • 2-6 Weeks
      3. Theme of the Season
        • The purpose of Epiphany is to celebrate the revelation of Christ's appearing. This is done by looking at different points in his life such as the coming of the three wise men, Christ's Baptism, and the Transfiguration.
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    • Pre-Lent
      1. Liturgical Color
        • Purple(Royalty)
      2. Length of the Season
        • 3 Weeks
          1. Septuagesima
            1. Definition:
                Seventieth
            2. Celbrating:
                The prodigal son, but the seventy could also represent the 70 year Babylonian captivity of Israel.
          2. Sexagesima
            1. Definition:
              • Sixtieth
            2. Celebrating:
              • The Parable of the Sower in which seed falls both on good and bad soil.
          3. Quinquagesima
            1. Definition:
              • Fiftieth
            2. Celebrating:
              • Final preparation for the start of Lent. Historically it was the start of the Lenten fast, and a day of confession in preparation for Ash Wednesday, which is the start of Lent.
      3. Theme of the Season
        • Pre-lent is a three week season in preparation for Lent. This season has many of the same aspects as Lent, and the most notable is the Alleluia is also omitted during this time. The week names stand for the rough ammount of days before the Resurrection. It is a time of final celebration before Lent, but it is also a time for prayerful relfection. It is also to start preparing for the Lent fast. The climax for this was Shrove Tuesday.
          • Shrove Tuesday: Shrove Tuesday has its roots in the Historic Shrovetide. It comes from what is known, in Southern Europe, as the Carnival; which does not entail a happy fun time, but is derived from the "taking away of flesh" (camera levare) which marked the beginning of Lent. The English "shrovetide" (from "to shrove", or hear confessions). This has its roots from when all the Laity would go to their Priest for Confession before the beginning of Lent.
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  2. The Resurrection Cycle
    • Lent
      1. Liturgical Color
        • Purple(Royalty) or Black(Penitance)
          Note: Black is only used on Good Friday.
      2. Length of the Season
        • 6 weeks (About 40 days)
          1. Invocavit
            Definition:
            Latin opening of Introit "He shall call upon Me"
          2. Reminiscere
            Definition:
            Latin opening of Introit "Remember, O Lord"
          3. Oculi
            Definition:
            Latin opening of Introit "Mine eyes"
          4. Laetare
            Definition:
            Latin opening of Introit "Rejoice ye"
          5. Judica (Passion Sunday)
            Definition:
            Latin opening of Introit "Judge me"
          6. Palmarum
            Definition:
            Sunday of palms
            • Days of the Week
              1. Palm Sunday
              2. Monday of Holy Week
              3. Tuesday of Holy Week
              4. Wednesday of Holy Week
              5. Maundy Thursday
              6. Good Friday
              7. Holy Saturday, Resurrection Vigil
      3. Theme of the Season
        • This is the time of the church year in which we look at our own sins, which caused Christ, the Son of God, to come to earth and die for our sins on the cross. This is a time of penetince and fasting in which we sorrow over our sins, but yet sit in awe of the beloved Passion of our Paschal Lamb who is Christ Jesus our Lord.
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    • The Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord
      1. Liturgical Color
        • White(New life/Purity) or Gold(Victory)
          Note: Gold is used only on the actual feast of the Resurrection, but white is used for the whole season.
      2. Length of the Season
        • 50 days
          1. Resurrection Monday
          2. Resurrection Tuesday
          3. Quasimodogeniti
            Definition:
            Latin opening of Introit "As newborn babes"
          4. Misercordias Domini
            Definition:
            Latin opening of Introit "The goodness of God"
          5. Jubilate
            Definition:
            Latin opening of Introit "Make a joyful noise"
          6. Cantate
            Definition:
            Latin opening of Introit "Oh, sing"
          7. Rogate
            Definition:
            Latin, "Pray, ye." Reference to the Gospel for the Day
          8. The Ascension of our Lord (40 Days after the Resurrection)
          9. Exaudi
            Definition:
            Latin opening of Introit "Hear, O Lord"
      3. Theme of the Season
        • The theme of this blessed season is quite simple. It is to celebrate the glorious Resurrection of Christ Jesus, our Lord. It was at his Resurrection where he broke the bonds of death; we are asured in this Resurrection through our baptisms.
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    • Whitsunday, The Feast of Pentecost
      1. Liturgical Color
        • The Sunday is Red, but the other days are White
      2. Length of the Season
        • One Week
          1. Whitsunday
          2. Monday of Whitsun Week
          3. Tuesday of Whitsun Week
      3. Theme of the Season
        • Celebrated here is the sending of the Holy Ghost to the Holy Apostles. We also here celebrate the sending of the Holy Ghost to us through the Word and Sacraments.
      4. History of the Name
        • Whitsunday is so called from the white garments which were worn by those who were baptized during the Resurrection Vigil. The word was already familiar in Old English, as Hwita Sunnandæg. The week beginning on Whitsunday (especially the first three days) is called Whitsuntide (formerly also spelled Whitsontide) or Whit Week.
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    • Trinity
      1. Liturgical Color
        • Green (New Growth)
      2. Length of the Season
        • Until the Start of Advent
          (Ranges from 23-27 weeks)
      3. Theme of the Season
        • During the season of the Holy Trinity we remember how God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost has made His church grow. We remember also the way God has led us so we can truly be thankful for what He is providing now. This is why the life of the church is celebrated during this season.
      4. History of the Season
        • Still researching
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