List of movable Western Christian observances
 | This article needs to be updated. (February 2023) |
This is a list of movable observances within Western Christianity. It includes secular observances which are calculated by religious observances.
This list does not necessarily imply either official status nor general observance.
Movable Christian observances, 2021
[edit]January
[edit]First Sunday of the year, unless the Sunday falls on January 1, 6, or 7, then January 2: January 5
- Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (Roman Catholicism, according to the General Roman Calendar of 1960)
First Monday: January 6
Monday after January 6: January 12
- Baptism of the Lord – (Western Christianity in countries where Epiphany is celebrated on January 7 or 8)
Sunday following January 6: January 12
- Baptism of the Lord (Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, Lutheranism, in countries where Epiphany is celebrated on January 7 or 8)
- Plough Sunday (England)
Day after Plough Sunday: January 13
Third Sunday: January 19
February
[edit]9th Sunday before Easter in Western Christianity: February 9
2nd Sunday before Ash Wednesday (Western Christianity): February 16
Last Thursday before Lent (Western Christianity): February 20
Saturday before Ash Wednesday: February 22
Sunday before Ash Wednesday (Western Christianity): February 23
Monday before Ash Wednesday: February 24
Tuesday before Ash Wednesday: February 25
46 days before Easter: February 26
Friday after Ash Wednesday: February 28
March
[edit]First Sunday of Lent: March 1
March 19, unless the 19th is a Sunday, then March 20: March 19
- Feast of Joseph of Nazareth (Western Christianity)
- Father's Day (Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Honduras, and Bolivia)
- Las Fallas, celebrated on the week leading to March 19. (Valencia)
- "Return of the Swallow", annual observance of the swallows' return to Mission San Juan Capistrano in California.
Fourth Sunday of Lent, 21 days before Easter Sunday: March 22
Fifth Sunday of Lent: March 29
- Passion Sunday (celebrated in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite according to the General Roman Calendar of 1960)
April
[edit]Week before Easter:
- Holy Week
- Palm Sunday: April 5
- Holy Monday: April 6
- Holy Tuesday: April 7
- Holy Wednesday: April 8
- Maundy Thursday: April 9
- Good Friday: April 10
Second Friday of April: April 10
- Fast and Prayer Day (Liberia)
- Holy Saturday: April 11
Easter Week: April 12-18
- Easter: April 12 (Eastertide begins)
- Easter Monday: April 13
- Family Day (South Africa)
- Śmigus-Dyngus, regional variant of Easter Monday (Poland, Ukraine)
- Easter Tuesday: April 14(Public holiday in Tasmania)
- Easter Wednesday: April 15
- Easter Thursday: April 16
- Easter Friday: April 17
- Easter Saturday: April 18
Sunday after Easter: April 19
May
[edit]Third Sunday after Easter: May 3
Monday and Tuesday in the week following the third Sunday of Easter: May 4–5
Fourth Sunday after Easter: May 10
Fourth Friday after Easter: May 15
Third Sunday of May:
Sunday preceding the Rogation days: May 17
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday preceding Feast of the Ascension: May 18–20
- Minor Rogation days
39 days after Easter: May 21
Seventh Sunday/49 days after Easter: May 31
June
[edit]Day after Whitsun: June 1
Day after Whit Monday: June 2
First Thursday after start of Pentecost: June 4
Friday of the week of Whitsun: June 5
First Sunday after Pentecost: June 7
Thursday after Trinity Sunday; 60 days after Easter, or the Sunday immediately following this: June 11
First Thursday after Corpus Christi: June 12
19 days after Pentecost: June 18
Sunday nearest to June 29: June 28
July
[edit]Second Sunday in July: July 12
Last Sunday in July: July 26
August
[edit]Third Weekend: August 15-16
September
[edit]Thursday following the first Sunday: September 6
First Sunday after September 4: September 6
- Start of Wakes Week (Parts of England and Scotland)
Weekend after first Monday: September 7
Second Sunday: September 13
- Education Sunday (British Churches)
- Racial Justice Sunday (British Churches)
Third Sunday: September 20
Monday after third Sunday: September 20
October
[edit]First Sunday: October 4
Second Sunday: October 11
Last Sunday: October 25
- Feast of Christ the King (Tridentine Mass Catholics)
November
[edit]Saturday between October 31 – November 6:
- All Saints' Day (Finland and Sweden only)
Second Sunday before Advent: November 8
Second Wednesday before the First Sunday in Advent: November 11
- Buß- und Bettag (Saxony, Germany, Lutheran, Reformed (Calvinist) and United denominations)
Sunday nearest November 11: November 14
- Remembrance Sunday (United Kingdom and certain Commonwealth countries)
Last Sunday before First Advent Sunday: November 22
- Feast of Christ the King (Roman Catholic)
- Stir-up Sunday (Anglican Church)
- Totensonntag (mainly Lutheran)
- World Youth Day (Next International-level World Youth Day will be in August 2023 Roman Catholicism)
Fourth Sunday before Christmas Day: November 29
- Advent Sunday (start of Advent, Western Christianity)
December
[edit]First Friday: December 4
First Sunday: December 6
Seven days, starting on First Monday: December 7-13
Sunday two weeks before Christmas: December 13
Second-final Sunday before Christmas Day: December 13
Thursday of the last full week before Christmas: December 17
Last Friday before Christmas: December 18
- Black Friday (partying) (secular, United Kingdom)
Last Saturday before Christmas: December 19
- Super Saturday (secular, United States)
Sunday before Christmas: December 20
Winter Solstice: December 21
The Sunday between Christmas Day and New Year's Day (both exclusive), or December 30 if both Christmas Day and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God are Sundays: December 27