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 2024
HOLY DAYS OF
OBLIGATION – 2024
Thursday, August 15th
– The Assumption of Mary
Friday, November 1st
– All Saints’ Day
Wednesday, December
25th – Christmas
Wednesday, January 1st,
2025 – Mary, Mother of God
Epiphany (Saturday, January 6th), Ascension of
the Lord (Thursday, May 9th), and Corpus Christi (Thursday, May 30th)
are all transferred to Sundays. St Joseph, Husband of Mary (March 19th)
and Sts Peter and Paul
(June 29th) are not obligation days in the USA.
Mary, Mother of God (Monday, January 1st) is not
an obligation day in 2024 because it falls on a Monday. The Immaculate
Conception is transferred to Monday, December 9th (because December
8th is 2nd Sunday of Advent) and is not an obligation day
in 2024.
In 2025, Epiphany is transferred from Monday, January 6th
to Sunday, January 5th.
DAYS OF PENANCE
and EMBER DAYS – 2024
Every Friday
throughout the year (abstinence or some penance)
Monday, January 22nd
– Anniversary of Roe v Wade (recommended fasting and abstinence)
Every Day of Lent – February 14th to May 30th
(some penance, Sundays and Solemnities are less penitential)
Wednesday, February 14th
– Ash Wednesday (fasting and abstinence, even though it is Valentine’s Day)
Fridays, February 16th,
23rd, March 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd,
29th – Fridays of Lent (abstinence)
Friday, March 29th
– Good Friday (fasting and abstinence)
Saturday, March 30th
– Holy Saturday (recommended fasting
and abstinence)
EMBER DAYS and ROGATION DAYS (recommended fasting and
abstinence)
February 21st, 23rd, 24th
– Ember Days of Lent
Thursday, April 25th – Major Rogation Day
May 6th, 7th, 8th –
Minor Rogation Days; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before the Ascension
May 22nd, 24th, 25th –
Ember Days of Pentecost (penance is commonly moved to the following week,
on account of the Octave
celebration of Pentecost)
September 18th, 20th, 21st
– Ember Days of September
December 18th, 20th, 22nd
– Ember Days of Advent (Saturday, December 22nd is the feast of St
Thomas)
Penance is not required on the following Friday Solemnities:
April 5th (Friday in the Octave of Easter), June 7th
(Sacred Heart), November 1st (All Saints). [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 – 2024
Septuagesima, Jan 28th; Ash Wednesday, Feb 14th;
Palm Sunday, March 24th; Easter Triduum, March 28th-30th;
Easter Sunday, March 31st; Ascension Thursday, May 9th;
Pentecost, May 19th; Corpus Christi Thursday,
May 30th; Sacred Heart, June 7th
First Sunday of Advent, December 1st
*2024 is a leap year, with February 29th being Thursday
in the 2nd week of Lent.
