Holidays & seasons
The liturgical calendar — Advent, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and more — their origins, evolution, and theological significance.
18 topics
Advent
Advent originally had no connection to Christmas and was a separate season of preparation for Epiphany. The early Church's calendar did not include a unified…
All Saints Day
All Saints Day, a Christian festival honoring all saints, both known and unknown, was not always observed on November 1st. Originally, it was celebrated on M…
Ascension
During the early years of Christianity, the Feast of the Ascension lacked a fixed date and was celebrated in various ways by different communities. Some earl…
Ash Wednesday
Early Christians did not universally observe Ash Wednesday. The practice became widespread among Western Christians during the Middle Ages. It marks the begi…
Christmas
Christmas was not celebrated by early Christians until the 4th century. For the first few centuries of Christianity, believers focused more on the resurrecti…
Easter
Easter is the Christian feast of the resurrection -- the annual commemoration of the belief that Jesus of Nazareth, crucified by Rome on a Friday, rose from …
Epiphany
"Epiphany is often overlooked in the modern Christian calendar, yet it marks a defining moment in the Christian narrative." Today, many perceive Epiphany mer…
Good Friday
Christians have debated for centuries whether Good Friday should be a day of mourning for the events of Christ's crucifixion or a day of subdued celebration …
Holy Week
Observance of Holy Week has its roots in the 4th century, yet the traditions and rituals associated with this sacred time have varied among different Christi…
Lent
Lent wasn't always 40 days; it varied greatly in length and practice across early Christian communities. During Christianity's early years, different groups …
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday has included foot-washing ceremonies since at least the 4th century. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples during the Last Supper, as record…
New Year
Many Christians in medieval Europe celebrated the New Year on March 25th, coinciding with the Feast of the Annunciation. This date marked the announcement by…
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday was once celebrated with elaborate medieval pageants featuring live animals and entire towns participating in reenactments of Jesus' entry into J…
Passover
Passover is one of the oldest religious festivals still celebrated today, with a history spanning over three millennia. This ancient observance commemorates …
Pentecost
Pentecost began as a Jewish harvest festival before becoming a key day for Christians when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles. Known as Shavuot in H…
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was not originally a religious holiday but became associated with Christian gratitude over time. Its roots can be traced back to 1621 when the P…
The Magi
The Magi were likely Zoroastrian priests, not kings, as often depicted. This identification corrects the traditional portrayal of the Magi as three regal fig…
Transfiguration
Feast of the Transfiguration celebrations in the Western Church began in the 15th century, despite its biblical importance. Jesus is described as becoming ra…