SOLEMNITY

A 'Solemnity' of the Roman Catholic Church is a principal holy day in the liturgical calendar, usually commemorating an event in the life of Jesus, Mary, or the saints. The observance begins in the evening prior to the actual date.
The word is taken from the Latin ''sollemnitas'', a term of uncertain origin but possibly derived from ''sollus'' (whole) and ''annus'' (year), indicating a celebration occurring at yearly intervals.
'Solemnities of the General Roman Calendar'

January 1	Mary, Mother of God (formerly known as the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ)
January 6	Epiphany; observed in most dioceses of the United States on the Sunday before the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and the end of the Christmas season,- between Jan 2 & 8
March 19	Joseph, Husband of Mary
March 25	Annunciation
March/April (varies)	Easter Sunday
40 days after Easter	Ascension Thursday, moved to the following Sunday in some areas
50 days after Easter	Pentecost
Sunday after Pentecost	Holy Trinity
Thursday after Holy Trinity	Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), moved to the following Sunday in some areas
Friday twelve days after Holy Trinity	Feast of the Sacred Heart
June 24	Birth of John the Baptist
June 29	Feast of the Holy Apostles Saints Peter and Paul
August 15	Assumption of Mary
November 1	All Saints
November (last Sunday before Advent)	Christ the King
December 8	Immaculate Conception of Mary
December 25	Christmas

These solemnities are observed throughout the entire Roman Catholic Church. In addition, there are some which are observed in particular regions or religious orders. For example the feast of Saint Patrick on 17 March is a solemnity in Ireland, and the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 16 July is a solemnity for the Carmelites.
Some solemnities are also Holy Days of Obligation, on which Catholics are required to attend Mass; some are not. If a solemnity falls on a Sunday, the Mass is celebrated with the readings and prayers appropriate to the particular feast, rather than to the particular Sunday. The Creed is recited at Mass, and there are two scriptural readings (in addition to a psalm or extract from one) before the Gospel. Fridays which fall on solemnities are not days of fast and abstinence, unless the Lenten restrictions are not lifted by the diocesan bishop for the feast, as on Good Friday during the sacred three-day Easter Triduum in Holy Week.

Contents

See also

External links

See also

★ Liturgical year

★ Holy Day of Obligation

External links

★ Universalis An excellent liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church including the liturgy of the hours and the mass readings.