General Roman Calendar#February (General Calendar)

{{Short description|General liturgical calendar of the Roman rite of the Catholic Church}}

{{about|the calendar of liturgical events in the Catholic Church|the calendars used in ancient Rome|Roman calendar}}

{{hatnote|For historical forms of the General Roman Calendar, see Tridentine calendar, General Roman Calendar of 1954, General Roman Calendar of Pope Pius XII, General Roman Calendar of 1960, and General Roman Calendar of 1969.}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}

{{canon law}}

The General Roman Calendar (GRC) is the liturgical calendar that indicates the dates of celebrations of saints and mysteries of the Lord (Jesus Christ) in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, wherever this liturgical rite is in use. These celebrations are a fixed annual date, or occur on a particular day of the week. Examples are the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord in January and the Feast of Christ the King in November. Other dates relate to the date of Easter. Examples are the celebrations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Description

National and diocesan calendars, including that of the Diocese of Rome itself as well as the calendars of religious institutes and even of continents, add other saints and mysteries or transfer the celebration of a particular saint or mystery from the date assigned in the General Calendar to another date.

These liturgical calendars indicate the degree or rank of each celebration: memorial (which can be merely optional), feast, or solemnity. Among other differences, the Gloria is said or sung at the Mass of a feast but not at that of a memorial. The Creed is added on solemnities.

The last general revision of the General Roman Calendar was in 1969 and was authorized by the motu proprio Mysterii Paschalis of Paul VI. The motu proprio and the decree of promulgation were included in the book Calendarium Romanum, published in the same year by {{lang|it|Libreria Editrice Vaticana|italic=no}}.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/CalendariumRomanum1969|title=Calendarium Romanum (1969)|last=Catholic Church|date=1969}} This contained the official document Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, and the list of celebrations of the General Roman Calendar. Both these documents are printed, in their present revised form, in the Roman Missal, after the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.[https://books.google.com/books?id=IwV6-e0juMEC&pg=PA110 The Roman Missal] (Liturgy Training Publications {{ISBN|978-1-56854-991-0}}){{Cite web |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/20881056/Missale-Romanum-2002|title=Missale Romanum 2002|website=Scribd}}

Selection of saints included

While canonization involves the addition of the saint's name to the Roman Martyrology, it does not necessarily involve the insertion of the saint's name into the General Roman Calendar, which mentions only a very limited selection of canonized saints. There is a common misconception that certain saints, (e.g., Christopher) were "unsainted" in 1969 or that veneration of them was "suppressed". Christopher is recognized as a saint of the Catholic Church, being listed as a martyr in the Roman Martyrology under 25 July.Martyrologium Romanum (Typis Vaticanis, 2001 {{ISBN|88-209-7210-7}})

In 1969, when Paul VI issued Mysterii Paschalis, he acknowledged that, while the written Acts of Saint Christopher are merely legendary, attestations to the veneration of the martyr date from ancient times. His change in the calendar of saints included "leaving the memorial of Saint Christopher to local calendars", because of the relatively late date of its insertion into the Roman calendar."Memoria S. Christophori, anno circiter 1550 in Calendario romano ascripta, Calendariis particularibus relinquitur: quamvis Acta S. Christophori fabulosa sint, antiqua inveniuntur monumenta eius venerationis; attamen cultus huius Sancti non pertinet ad traditionem romanam" – Calendarium Romanum (Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis 1969), p. 131.

Liturgical year

In the liturgical books, the document General Roman Calendar, which lists not only fixed celebrations but also some moveable ones, is printed immediately after the document Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, which states that "throughout the course of the year the Church unfolds the entire mystery of Christ and observes the birthdays of the Saints". The birth of a saint to heaven is as a rule celebrated on a fixed day of the year. Sometimes they may be moved either to or from a Sunday. The mysteries of Christ are often celebrated on dates that always vary from year to year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/itc/music/manuscripts/liturgical_year.html|title=Celebrating the Liturgy's Books |website=www.columbia.edu|access-date=2018-11-06}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/478990/Proper-of-Saints|title=Proper of Saints {{!}} Christianity|work=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=2018-11-06}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanctorale|title=Definition of SANCTORALE |website=www.merriam-webster.com |access-date=2018-11-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/dictionary/index.cfm?id=35843|title=Dictionary : PROPER OF THE SAINTS|website=www.catholicculture.org|access-date=2018-11-06}}

The Catholic Church's year combines two cycles of liturgical celebrations. One has been called the Proper of Time or Temporale, associated with the moveable date of Easter and the fixed date of Christmas. The other is associated with fixed calendar dates and has been called the Proper of Saints or Sanctorale. The General Roman Calendar includes celebrations that belong to the Proper of Time or Temporale and is not limited to those that make up the Proper of Saints or Sanctorale. An instance where two observances occur on the same date is called an occurrence.{{Cite Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=Occurrence|author=Cabrol, Fernand}}

Transfer of celebrations

Some celebrations listed in the General Roman Calendar are transferred to another date:

{{blockquote|For the pastoral advantage of the people, it is permissible to observe on the Sundays in Ordinary Time those celebrations that fall during the week and have special appeal to the devotion of the faithful, provided the celebrations take precedence over these Sundays in the Table of Liturgical Days.{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholicculture.org/index.cfm|title=Catholic News, Commentary, Information, Resources, and the Liturgical Year|website=www.catholicculture.org}}}}

List of celebrations inscribed in the GRC

This list contains all celebrations currently inscribed in the General Roman Calendar. It is updated whenever the pope makes changes to the celebrations in the General Roman Calendar.

When no citation is provided for a particular celebration, it comes from Calendarium Romanum Generale (General Roman Calendar) as printed in the Latin original of Roman Missal, ed. typ. tertia (reimpressio emendata), released in 2008.{{cite book |author= |date=2008 |chapter=Calendarium Romanum Generale |title=Missale Romanum |trans-title=Roman Missal |language=la |publisher=Libreria Editrice Vaticana |edition=Editio typica tertia, reimpressio emendata |isbn=978-88-2098-120-4 |pages=105–116}} Celebrations that are added or changed are cited from official decrees.

Celebration names are used from English Roman Missal (2018).

=January=

:{{note|jan-a|a}} The solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord is always celebrated on 6 January in the General Roman Calendar, however, in particular calendars, it might by transferred to Sunday before, on or after 6 January.

:{{note|jan-b|b}} When the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord is transferred to Sunday, which occurs on 7 or 8 January, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the following Monday. (Ubi sollemnitas Epiphaniæ ad dominicam transfertur, quæ die 7 vel 8 ianuarii occurrit, festum Baptismatis Domini celebratur feria secunda sequenti.)

=February=

:{{note|feb-a|a}} On 25 January 2021, Pope Francis inscribed Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church, in the General Roman Calendar.{{Cite web|title=Decree on the Inscription of the Celebrations of Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church, Saint John De Avila, Priest and Doctor of the Church and Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, in the General Roman Calendar (25 January 2021)|url=http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20210125_decreto-dottori_en.html|access-date=2021-02-02|website=www.vatican.va}}

=March=

=April=

  • 2 April: Saint Francis of Paola, Hermit – optional memorial
  • 4 April: Saint Isidore, Bishop and Doctor of the Church – optional memorial
  • 5 April: Saint Vincent Ferrer, Priest – optional memorial
  • 7 April: Saint John Baptist de la Salle, Priest – memorial
  • 11 April: Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr – memorial
  • 13 April: Saint Martin I, Pope and Martyr – optional memorial
  • 21 April: Saint Anselm, Bishop and Doctor of the Church – optional memorial
  • 23 April: Saint George, Martyr – optional memorial
  • 23 April: Saint Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr – optional memorial
  • 24 April: Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest and Martyr – optional memorial
  • 25 April: Saint Mark, Evangelist – feast
  • 28 April: Saint Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr – optional memorial
  • 28 April: Saint Louis Grignon de Montfort, Priest – optional memorial
  • 29 April: Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church – memorial
  • 30 April: Saint Pius V, Pope – optional memorial

=May=

:{{note|may-a|a}} On 25 January 2021, Pope Francis inscribed Saint John of Avila, Priest and Doctor of the Church, in the General Roman Calendar.

:{{note|may-b|b}} On 25 January 2019, Pope Francis inscribed Saint Paul VI, Pope, in the General Roman Calendar.{{Cite web |title=Decree on the Inscription of the Celebration of Saint Paul VI, Pope, in the General Roman Calendar (25 January 2019)|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20190125_decreto-celebrazione-paolovi_en.html|access-date=2022-08-05|website=www.vatican.va}}

:{{note|may-c|c}} On 11 February 2018, Pope Francis inscribed Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, in the General Roman Calendar.{{Cite web |title=Decree on the Celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of the Church in the General Roman Calendar (11 February 2018) |url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20180211_decreto-mater-ecclesiae_en.html|access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.vatican.va}} In years when the memorial of the Mother of the Church coincides with another obligatory memorial, only the memorial of the Mother of the Church will be celebrated for that year.{{Cite web |title=Notification on the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church (24 March 2018) |url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20180324_notificazione-mater-ecclesiae_en.html |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=www.vatican.va}}

:{{note|may-d|d}} The solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ can be transferred to the following Sunday in particular calendars.

=June=

:{{note|jun-a|a}} The title Doctor of the Church was conferred on Saint Irenaeus by Pope Francis on 21 January 2022.{{Cite web|title=Decree of the Holy Father for the Conferral of the title of Doctor of the Church on Saint Irenaeus of Lyon (21 January 2022) |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2022/01/21/220121b.html|access-date=2022-08-05|website=www.vatican.va}}

:{{note|jun-b|b}} In 2022, the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus coincided with the solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist. The Holy See kept the solemnity of the Sacred Heart on 24 June and brought forward the Nativity of John the Baptist to 23 June, except in locations where John the Baptist is the patron saint, where the reverse applied.{{Cite web|title=Responsum ad dubia de calendario liturgico exarando pro Anno 2022 (11 May 2022)|url=http://www.cultodivino.va/content/dam/cultodivino/documenti/DUBIA/Calendario%202022.pdf|access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.cultodivino.va}}

:{{note|jun-c|c}} In years when the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary coincides with another obligatory memorial, both must be considered optional for that year.{{Cite web |title=De occurrentia memoriæ obligatoriæ Immaculati Cordis Beatæ Mariæ Virginis una cum altera memoria eiusdem gradus (8 December 1998) |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/dam/wss/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20000630_memoria-immaculati-cordis-mariae-virginis_lt.html |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.vatican.va}}

=July=

:{{note|jul-a|a}} Pope Francis raised the rank of the celebration of Saint Mary Magdalene to feast on 3 June 2016.{{Cite web |title=Decree (3 June 2016)|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/sanctae-m-magdalenae-decretum_en.pdf|access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.vatican.va}}

:{{note|jul-b|b}} Pope Francis decreed on 26 January 2021 that Saints Mary and Lazarus of Bethany are to be celebrated alongside of Saint Martha.{{Cite web|title=Decree on the Celebration of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus in the General Roman Calendar (26 January 2021) |url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20210126_decreto-santi_en.html|access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.vatican.va}}

=August=

=September=

:{{note|oct-a|a}} On 11 February 2025, Pope Francis inscribed Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Virgin, in the General Roman Calendar.{{Cite web|title=Decree the inscription of the celebration of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Virgin, in the General Roman Calendar (11 February 2025) |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2025/02/11/0125/00250.html |access-date=2025-02-11|website=www.vatican.va}}

:{{note|sep-b|b}} On 25 January 2021, Pope Francis inscribed Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, in the General Roman Calendar.

=October=

:{{note|oct-a|a}} On 18 May 2020, Pope Francis inscribed Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin, in the General Roman Calendar.{{Cite web|title=Decree on the Inscription of the Celebration of Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin, in the General Roman Calendar (18 May 2020) |url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20200518_decreto-celebrazione-santafaustina_en.html |access-date=2022-08-05|website=www.vatican.va}}

:{{note|oct-b|b}} On 29 May 2014, Pope Francis inscribed Saint John XXIII, Pope, in the General Roman Calendar.{{Cite web |title=Decree (29 May 2014)|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20140529_decreto-calendario-generale-gxxiii-gpii_en.html|access-date=2022-08-05|website=www.vatican.va}}

:{{note|oct-c|c}} On 29 May 2014, Pope Francis inscribed Saint John Paul II, Pope, in the General Roman Calendar.

=November=

=December=

:{{note|dec-a|a}} On 31 October 2019, Pope Francis inscribed Our Lady of Loreto in the General Roman Calendar.{{Cite web |title=Decree on the Celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto to be Inscribed in the General Roman Calendar (31 October 2019) |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2019/10/31/0834/01731.html#en|access-date=2022-08-05|website=www.vatican.va}}

Particular calendars

The General Calendar is printed, for instance, in the Roman MissalMissale Romanum, editio typica tertia 2002, Libreria Editrice Vaticana and the Liturgy of the Hours.Liturgia Horarum iuxta ritum Romanum, editio typica altera 2000, Libreria Editrice Vaticana These are up to date when printed, but additional feasts may be added later. For that reason, if those celebrating the liturgy have not inserted into the books a note about the changes, they must consult the current annual publication, known as the "Ordo", for their country or religious congregation.

These annual publications, like those that, disregarding the feasts that are obligatory in the actual church where the liturgy is celebrated, list only celebrations included in the General Calendar,An example is Ordo Missae Celebrandae et Divini Officii persolvendi secundum calendarium Romanum generale pro anno liturgico 2006 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana). are useful only for the current year, since they omit celebrations impeded because of falling on a Sunday or during periods such as Holy Week and the Octave of Easter.

This distinction is made in application of the decision of the Second Vatican Council: "Lest the feasts of the saints should take precedence over the feasts which commemorate the very mysteries of salvation, many of them should be left to be celebrated by a particular Church or nation or family of religious; only those should be extended to the universal Church which commemorate saints who are truly of universal importance."{{Cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221180735/https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html|url-status=dead|title=Sacrosanctum concilium|archivedate=21 February 2008|website=www.vatican.va}}

= Institutional and societal calendars =

{{Main|Institutional and societal calendars of the Roman Rite}}

= National calendars =

{{Main|National calendars of the Roman Rite}}

= Personal jurisdiction calendars =

{{Main|Personal jurisdiction calendars of the Roman Rite}}

= Diocesan and parish calendars =

The calendar for a diocese is typically based on a national calendar, with a few additions. For instance, the anniversary of the dedication of the cathedral is celebrated as a solemnity in the cathedral church and as a feast in all the other churches of the diocese. The feast day of the principal patron saint of the diocese is celebrated as a feast throughout the diocese.[http://www.catholicculture.org/library/view.cfm?recnum=5932 General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar], Table of Liturgical Days according to their order of precedence, 4 and 8.

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • {{cite web|url=https://www.smp.org/resourcecenter/category/Feast-Day-Activities/8/?page=21|title=Biography, reflection and prayer for the Roman Catholic saint of the day|publisher=Saint Mary's Press}}