A division of the
year into
seasons of
worship, used by the
Roman Catholic Church and several
Protestant denominations. Each season has a
theme and a
color. Consists of two major cycles - the
nativity cycle and the
resurrection cycle - plus various days of special observance. Three-fourths of the church year hinges upon the
date of
Easter which is determined by the
moon. The remaining
festivals are determined by
Christmas, a fixed
date connected with the
winter solstice, which is determined by the
sun.
Note that the events commemorated did not necessarily occur on the dates on which they are celebrated. The liturgical year represents successive aspects of the Christian mystery (incarnation, revelation, the life and teachings of Jesus, his death on the cross, his ascension, the life of the Church and Christians in the world) and the cycles of history, nature, and human life.