Each year, the Church proclaims the movable feasts on Epiphany! Following this tradition, we present the overview of Holy Days and Days of Penance for 2023
HOLY DAYS OF
OBLIGATION – 2023
Sunday, January 1st
– Mary, Mother of God
Tuesday, August 15th
– The Assumption of Mary
Wednesday, November 1st
– All Saints’ Day
Friday, December 8th
– The Immaculate Conception
Monday, December 25th
– Christmas (although Christmas
falls on a Monday, it remains a day of obligation)
Monday, January 1st,
2024– Mary, Mother of God
Epiphany (Friday, January 6th), Ascension of the
Lord (Thursday, May 18th), and Corpus Christi (Thursday, June 8th)
are all transferred to Sundays. St Joseph, Husband of Mary (Sunday, March 19th)
and Sts Peter and Paul (Thursday, June 29th) are not obligation days
in the USA.
DAYS OF PENANCE
and EMBER DAYS – 2023
Every Friday
throughout the year (abstinence or some penance)
Monday, January 23rd
– Anniversary of Roe v Wade (recommended fasting and abstinence,
transferred from January 22nd
because of the Sunday)
Every Day of Lent – February 22nd to April 9th
(some penance, Sundays and Solemnities are less penitential)
Wednesday, February 22nd
– Ash Wednesday (fasting and abstinence)
Fridays, February 24th,
March 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st,
April 7th – Fridays of Lent (abstinence)
Friday, April 7th
– Good Friday (fasting and abstinence)
Saturday, April 8th
– Holy Saturday (recommended fasting
and abstinence)
EMBER DAYS and ROGATION DAYS (recommended fasting and
abstinence)
March 1st, 3rd, 4th –
Ember Days of Lent
Tuesday, April 25th – Major Rogation day
May 15th, 16th, 17th –
Minor Rogation Days; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before the Ascension
May 31st, June 2nd, 3rd
– Ember Days of Pentecost (penance is commonly moved to the following week,
on account of the Octave
celebration of Pentecost)
September 20th, 22nd, 23rd
– Ember Days of September
December 20th, 22nd, 23rd
– Ember Days of Advent
Penance is not required on the following Friday Solemnities:
January 5th (Epiphany), April 14th (Friday in the Octave
of Easter), June 16th (Sacred Heart), June 23rd (Nativity
of St John the Baptist), December 8th (Immaculate Conception). [Friday
of the Octave of Christmas is not a solemnity, therefore penance is obliged.]
* Abstinence means abstaining from meat, and binds from 14
years until death. Abstaining from eggs and dairy as well as from meat is a laudable tradition.
** Fasting means one regular meal and two small snacks, and
binds from 18 until 60.
MOVABALE FEASTS – 2023
Septuagesima, 5th; Ash Wednesday, February 22nd;
Palm Sunday, April 2nd; Easter Triduum, April 6th-8th
Easter Sunday, April 9th; Ascension Thursday, May
18th; Pentecost, May 28th
Corpus Christi Thursday, June 8th; Sacred Heart,
June 16th
First Sunday of Advent, December 3rd
