Holy Days of Obligation

Sundays and holy days of obligation are days on which the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass.

Holy days mark days in the liturgical year of special importance or that merit special celebration. Worldwide, there is some variation in the dates of celebration of holy days as local Church authorities acknowledge patron saints or allow the celebration of holy days that occur during the week on the nearest Sunday. In England and Wales, according to a 1984 decision of the Bishops’ Conference, holy days which fall on Saturday or Monday are in general transferred to the Sunday.

The table below, list significant dates of the liturgical. Dates of holy days  are in bold).

Holy Day 2012  2013  2014  2015 
Epiphany  8 Jan  6 Jan  5 Jan  4 Jan
Ash Wednesday  22 Feb  13 Feb  5 Mar  18 Feb
Easter Sunday  8 Apr  31 Mar  20 Apr  5 Apr
Ascension  20 May  12 May  1 Jun  17 May
Pentecost   27 May  19 May  8 Jun  24 May
Corpus Christi   10 Jun  2 Jun  22 Jun  7 Jun
SS Peter & Paul  29 Jun  30 Jun  29 Jun  28 Jun
Assumption   15 Aug  15 Aug  15 Aug  16 Aug
All Saints  1 Nov  1 Nov  2 Nov  1 Nov
1st Sunday of Advent  2 Dec  1 Dec  30 Nov  29 Nov
Birth of The Lord  25 Dec  25 Dec  25 Dec  25 Dec