Roman Catholic Holy Days of Obligation

[Forum Admin]

I entered the 8 Holy Days of Obligation that don't depend on Easter. Hopefully, the Roman Catholics among us will provide us with details on each of them, as well as explaining what a Holy Day of Obligation is.

[lonnienord]

+JMJ
I'm confused where is the list? I just went to mass Jan. 1 which is a holy day of obligation. I haven't researched the history hopefully someone else has and will tell us about it. Mass, as usual, was beautiful!
all for JESUS!!
lonnie

[Symeon]

[quote author=lonnienord link=board=29;threadid=417;start=0#msg3478 date=1073115649]+JMJ
I'm confused where is the list? I just went to mass Jan. 1 which is a holy day of obligation. I haven't researched the history hopefully someone else has and will tell us about it. Mass, as usual, was beautiful!
all for JESUS!!
lonnie
[/quote]The "list" would be on the calendar (see the row of "icons" at the top of your screen) ... scattered among the calendar dates in the year.

I would suppose that your church was celebrating the Circumcision of Christ, on the eighth day after His birth, as mine did. We have a separate discussion of the history of that celebration, which started in the "Presentation of Christ to the Temple" topic in this area, and which moved to the "Reasoned Debates" area (same topic name I think).

The history is pre-Schism, so it works for your Church as well as mine.

[michael_legna]

I just found this thread - sorry it took so long for someone to respond to it.

The 1983 Code of Canon Law identifies Sunday as "the primordial
holy day of obligation" in the universal Church. In addition to Sunday there are 10 other days of obligation:

1. The Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas)
2. The Epiphany (Jan. 6.)
3. The Ascension (40 days after Easter)
4. The Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
5. Holy Mary, the Mother of God (octave day of Christmas, Jan. 1)
6. The Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8)
7. The Assumption (Aug. 15)
8. St. Joseph (March 19)
9. Ss. Peter and Paul (June 29)
10. All Saints (Nov. 1)

The 1983 Code of Canon Law also states that the conference of Bishops
(usually the bishops of a particular country of a region) can suppress or
transfer the observance of these days, after approval from the Apostolic
See (i.e. the Vatican)

In the United States six of the universal holy days are observed. They are
#1, 3, 5, 6, 7, & 10 from above.

As for the other four, Epiphany is observed on Sunday, so is Corpus
Christi. However, St. Joseph and Ss. Peter and Paul are not observed as a
day of obligation for participating in Mass.

Expanation of the days:

1. The Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas)
This one I hope is obvious.

2. The Epiphany (Jan. 6.)
The holy day celebrates the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi bringing gifts to the King.

3. The Ascension (40 days after Easter)
The holy day celebrates the Ascension of Jesus into heaven after His resurrection.

4. The Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
This feast is celebrated in the Latin Church on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday to solemnly commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist. This was instituted by Jesus Himself through a vision to a nun who worked to get it accepted by the Church.

5. Holy Mary, the Mother of God (octave day of Christmas, Jan. 1)
This teaching of the Church reiterates the unity of Christ's two natures: he is both God and man. The Son existed before all time, as the eternally begotten of the Father.

6. The Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8)
This holy day celebrates the miracle of how the Mother of the Lord was preserved from her birth from original sin by the power of God.

7. The Assumption (Aug. 15)
This holy day celebrates that at the end of her life, the Blessed Mother was assumed, body and soul into Heaven.

8. St. Joseph (March 19)
This holy day celebrates the pious life of the husband of Mary the mother of Jesus.

9. Ss. Peter and Paul (June 29)
This holy days celebrates the work of Peter and Paul in expanding Christs Church on earth.

10. All Saints (Nov. 1)
This holy day celebrates ALL saints (those identified by the Church AND those who have not been officially identified).

I hope that is clear and there is enough detail for those who are interested. If not just ask for more.