What Is the Christian Liturgical Calendar?

"Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ."

-Colossians 2:16-17 ESV

Why Does It Matter?

Some churches observe the Christian liturgical calendar, or parts of it, while others choose not to observe it. What is the Christian liturgical calendar and where did it come from? Should we observe it? This article will cover these questions.

Typically, this is considered a secondary or even tertiary issue among Christians.

What Is It?

Jews had an extensive calendar of holy days observed weekly, monthly, and annually. The Sabbath was considered a weekly day. Monthly they celebrated the New Moon festival. However, most of their holy days were annual.[1]

Jewish Christians continued celebrating these days while Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians were not required to observe them (Acts 15). Paul even writes, "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ" (Col. 2:16-17). As time progressed, and with the destruction of the Temple in AD 70, "Jewish Christians seem to have conformed more and more to Gentile Christianity, and to have continued the literal observance of the law only in sectarian groups (Ebionites, Nazaraeans). From then on . . . the Christian calendar consisted only of Christian holy days."[2]

Here are the earliest Christian holy days celebrated:[3]

The Lord's Day, Sunday, worship
Fasting weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays (Early Christians deliberately picked different fast days than the "hypocrites", as shown in the Didache, who fasted on Mondays and Thursdays.)
Early annual festivals arose in the first couple of centuries of the church (often corresponding to Jewish ones):
- Easter or Pascha (arose in the East)
- Pentecost or Whitsun (arose in the West)
Later annual festivals arose in the 4th century:
- Ascension Day
- Epiphany (although it was celebrated earlier in the 200s in the festival of the nativity)
- Christmas (although it was celebrated earlier in the 200s in the festival of the nativity)
Trinity Sunday (dates to 10th century and only from the West)

Then, during the Middle Ages, the calendar became more complex. This happened through adding daily festivals for various saints and festivals for various medieval doctrines (such as All Souls for purgatory and Corpus Christi for transubstantiation).[4]

Later, during the Reformation, many pruned the calendar. However, some pruned it down so far that they removed everything but weekly worship (e.g., Scotland).[5]

Ultimately, the point of the Christian liturgical calendar is to celebrate "the course of the life, death and exaltation of Christ."[6]

In churches who utilize the Christian liturgical calendar, often colors are used on cloths for the table, banners, or even other things (e.g., flowers, decorations, slides on screen, clothes/ties, etc.). The chart below will provide a brief description of each season and the corresponding color.[7]

7 Main Seasons of the Christian Liturgical Calendar

Season	Color	Description
Advent	Purple or Blue	The season of preparation for the coming of Jesus (Christmas). It includes four Sundays before Christmas Day. Traditional themes for each Sunday: hope, love, joy, and peace. The season begins the first Sunday after Christ the King Sunday and ends on Christmas Eve.
Christmastide (12 Days of Christmas)	Gold or White (sometimes Christmas Day is white)	This season celebrates the birth and infancy of Jesus before he is visited by the Magi. The season begins either at sundown on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and it ends on January 5th.
Epiphanytide	Green (sometimes the day of Epiphany is white and the season is green)	The season of Epiphany commemorates the appearance of Jesus to the Gentiles (with the visitation of the Magi). This season begins on January 6th, and it ends on different days according to different traditions. Often it ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.
Lent	Purple or Black	The season of Lent is a preparation for Holy Week by remembering and demonstrating sorrow for sin. Typically this happens practically with various types of fasts (which is not required and is a matter of conscience). The season begins on Ash Wednesday (46 days before Easter), and it ends on the Saturday before Palm Sunday.
Holy Week	Red (before Tuesday); Black (Thursday); No color (Friday until Easter)	The Holy Week remembers the Passion of Christ. The season begins on Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter), and it ends the night before Easter. Holy Week often includes Maundy Thursday (the Last Supper), Good Friday (crucifixion of Jesus), and The Great Vigil of Easter.
Eastertide	White (sometimes the day of Pentecost is red)	The season of Easter lasts 49 days and remembers the time from the resurrection of Jesus to Pentecost. Following the solemn observances of Holy Week, this is a time of celebration and feasting. The season begins with The Great Vigil of Easter and ends the Saturday before Pentecost (and includes the celebration of the Ascension of Jesus the Sunday before Pentecost).
Ordinary Time	Green (sometimes the certain days of Trinity Sunday, All Saints' Day, and Christ the King Sunday are white)	The season of Ordinary Time begins with Pentecost and ends with Christ the King Sunday (which is the last Sunday before Advent). The season includes Trinity Sunday and Reformation Sunday.

So, should Christians participate in it? It depends. It's a matter of conscience. It is not biblically required, but the church has done it for almost two thousand years. That should not be taken lightly.

Practically, it also seems better to think of time theologically and in a Christ-centered manner, rather than a secular or consumeristic manner. Also, following the liturgical calendar can aid in understanding the Bible and the gospel.

Moreover, many Christians who do not participate may want to reflect on why they neglect the Christian calendar and yet still participate in various other calendar traditions (such as Valentine's Day or Halloween).

On the other hand, empty rituals are not spiritually helpful. Going through the motions without understanding the importance and meaning behind them is not helpful. Thus, we should be clear on what they are and why we’re doing them.

Also, as demonstrated earlier, the earliest Christian calendar was relatively simple. Much has been added in over time. Therefore, what era of the Christian calendar should we adopt? The simple one or the complex one? Should we pick and choose?

Nevertheless, rituals, or habits, by themselves are not bad and can actually be very helpful. I myself have begun incorporating much more of the Christian liturgical calendar over the past few years, and I'm finding it spiritually helpful in many ways.

Application

Reflect on whether you will incorporate aspects of the Christian liturgical calendar into your life. Then, consider this: to what degree and in what spheres of life will you incorporate the calendar?

Church: Will you find a church that incorporates the calendar into worship?
Family: Will you incorporate it into your family/home worship?
Prayer: Will you incorporate it into your personal prayer and worship times?

Where Can I Learn More?

End Notes:

[1] Sinclair B. Ferguson, David F. Wright, and J. I. Packer, eds., New Dictionary of Theology: A Concise and Authoritative Resource (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1988), 119.

[2] Ibid.

[3] This part is adapted from Sinclair B. Ferguson, David F. Wright, and J. I. Packer, eds., New Dictionary of Theology: A Concise and Authoritative Resource (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1988), 119.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] This chart is adapted from experience and the following two resources: (1) Patrick S. Morrow and W. David Stone, A Book of Prayer: For Baptists, 1st ed. (Prayer Book Baptists, 2021), 17-21 and (2) T. J. McTavish, A Theological Miscellany: Odd, Merry, Essentially Inessential Facts, Figures, & Tidbits About Christianity (New York, NY: MJF, 2005), 49.