As the liturgical calendar goes in its annual cycle, the Church associates “the return of dates and seasons with the remembrance of past events.” (Dies Domini 76) Remembrance of these decisive events is then celebrated by people in a festive manner which gives vibrance and disrupts the monotone atmosphere of
Fifty days after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Catholic Church celebrates Pentecost. On this feast day that concludes the Easter season, Catholics celebrate the beginning of the Church. The word Pentecost is derived from the Greek word “pentecoste” which means fiftieth. In Christian tradition, the faithful celebrate at
Chrism Mass is the Holy Mass celebrated by the bishop at the diocese’s cathedral church on Holy Thursday morning. Joined by the priests in the diocese, the celebration manifests the priests’ unity with their bishop. In the celebration, the bishop blesses three oils, namely the oil of catechumens, the oil
The final Sunday of Lent, which also serves as the beginning of Holy Week is called Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. On this day, the Catholic Church celebrates the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, days before his passion and death on the cross. In the Gospels,
Six months after the annunciation of John’s birth to Zechariah, the angel of God, Archangel Gabriel was sent to Nazareth in Galilee. There, he was sent to announce to the Virgin Mary the birth of the Son of the Most High – Jesus. Early Christians first celebrated the feast of
Other than the third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday), priests also don rose-colored vestments on the fourth Sunday of Lent which the church calls Laetare Sunday. Similar to the meaning of Gaudete, the Latin word Laetare as well means “rejoice”. On Laetare Sunday, the Catholic Church which observes fasting and
Lent is a liturgical season in which Catholics dedicate 40 days of fasting, almsgiving, and prayer in preparation for the celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection. The season begins on Ash Wednesday and culminates in the Holy Week. During the season, the faithful are called to practice abstinence and penance
“You are Peter; and on this Rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18) The Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter commemorates the authority that Jesus gave to Peter, appointing the Apostle to be the head of the Church. Originally,
Ash Wednesday is a holy day observed by Catholics in opening the season of Lent; it occurs 46 days before Easter Sunday. Wearing ashes on the head is a symbolic practice that has been a tradition of the Jews since ancient times in observing penance and fasting. Ashes have been
