ascension thursday holy day of obligation

It has a double purpose: first, the happy departure of Mary from this life and second, the assumption of her body into heaven. Some dioceses, including the Archdiocese of Boston, continue to celebrate this feast day on the original Thursday.Īugust 15 – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Observing the Ascension on the seventh Sunday of Easter allows for heightened celebration and an increased opportunity to educate people about the meaning of the feast.

The Vatican, at the request of the bishops of the United States, granted permission for the date change, giving ecclesiastical provinces in the United States the authority to make the transfer. It is narrated in Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, and in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.In March 2000, the Catholic bishops of the Wisconsin province transferred the Feast of the Ascension to the seventh Sunday of Easter, one week before Pentecost Sunday. This feast is celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter Sunday and commemorates the elevation of Jesus into heaven by his own power in the presence of his disciples. The Ascension of Our Lord – Observed on the seventh Sunday of Easter or on the Thursday after the sixth Sunday of Easter As we begin a new year, it is fitting that we honor and venerate Mary as an essential part of the Catholic Church and of our own lives. Mary is indeed the mother of God and our mother is well. Prior to this, the feast celebrated on January 1 was the circumcision of Jesus. Liturgical reform initiated by Vatican II placed it on January 1 in 1969. Mary’s Divine Maternity became a universal feast in 1931. This feast, closely connected to the feast of Christmas and celebrated on the octave of Christmas, is the most important and oldest of the major feasts of Mary. January 1 – Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God In the United States, there are six holy days of obligation. The number of these holy days can vary from country to country. They celebrate an important mystery of the Catholic faith. Holy days are important feast days in the life of the Catholic community on which, in addition to Sundays, Catholics (who are above the age of reason and who are not sick) are obligated to participate in Mass according to the precepts of the Church. Bishop’s Lenten Appeal – My Soul Rejoices in the Lord.Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist.

Ascension thursday holy day of obligation