Holy Days of Obligation Defined

Holy days of obligation are feast days on which Catholics are required to attend Mass and to avoid (to the extent that they are able) servile work. The observance of Holy Days of Obligation is part of the Sunday Duty, the first of the Precepts of the Church. There are currently ten Holy Days of Obligation in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church; in the United States, only six Holy Days of Obligation are observed.

United States Holy Days of Obligation Defined

In the United States, the Catholic Church currently celebrates the six Holy Days of Obligation listed below. (Any feast celebrated on a Sunday, such as Easter, falls under our normal Sunday Duty and thus isn't included in a list of Holy Days of Obligation.)

While the 1983 Code of Canon Law for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church mandates ten Holy Days of Obligation, the bishops' conference of each country can reduce that number. In the United States, two of the other four Holy Days of Obligation—Epiphany and Corpus Christi—have been moved to Sunday, while the obligation to attend Mass on the other two days, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles, has simply been removed.

1. Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God

The Latin Rite of the Catholic Church begins the year by celebrating the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. On this day, we are reminded of the role that the Blessed Virgin played in the plan of our salvation. Christ's Birth at Christmas, celebrated just a week before, and was made possible by Mary's fiat: "Be it done unto me according to Thy word."

2. The Ascension of Our Lord

The Ascension of Our Lord, which occurred 40 days after Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, is the final act of our redemption that Christ began on Good Friday. On this day, the risen Christ, in the sight of His apostles, ascended bodily into Heaven.

3. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a very old feast of the Church, celebrated universally by the sixth century. It commemorates the death of Mary and her bodily assumption into Heaven, before her body could begin to decay—a foretaste of our own bodily resurrection at the end of time.

4. All Saints Day

All Saints Day is a surprisingly old feast. It arose out of the Christian tradition of celebrating the martyrdom of saints on the anniversary of their martyrdom. When martyrdoms increased during the persecutions of the late Roman Empire, local dioceses instituted a common feast day in order to ensure that all martyrs, known and unknown were properly honored. The practice eventually spread to the universal Church.

5. Immaculate Conception

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, in its oldest form, goes back to the seventh century, when churches in the East began celebrating the Feast of the Conception of Saint Anne, the mother of Mary. In other words, this feast celebrates, not the conception of Christ (a common misconception), but the conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the womb of Saint Anne; and nine months later, on September 8, we celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

6. Christmas

The word Christmas derives from the combination of Christ and Mass; it is the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The last holy day of obligation in the year, Christmas is second in importance in the liturgical calendar only to Easter.

Holy Days of Obligation with Special Seasons and Feasts

[1] At their November 1991 meeting, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops decided that whenever January 1, the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God or August 15, the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin or November 1, the Feast of All Saints falls on a Saturday or a Monday, the precept to celebrate Mass is dispensed. The Congregation for Bishops confirmed the action on July 4, 1992.

Although the obligation to celebrate Mass when these three holy days fall on a Saturday or Monday is abolished, parishes are to continue to observe these holy days by scheduling one or more Masses at a convenient time so that people who wish to participate are able to do so.

+ Lenten Days of Fast, Abstinence, and Penance

All Fridays of Lent are Days of Abstinence

Abstinence means not eating meat. All persons 14 years and older are bound by the law of abstinence.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are Days of both Fast and Abstinence

Fasting allows one full meal, but a light breakfast and lunch are not forbidden. All adults, 18 up to the beginning of their sixtieth (60) year, are bound by the law of fasting. Pastors and parents are to see to it that children, while not bound to the law of fast and abstinence, are educated and introduced to an authentic sense of penance.

On Fridays, when abstinence is not required by law, acts of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety are suggested. Abstinence from meat is especially recommended but under no obligation by law.

* The Easter Vigil, during the holy night when Christ rose from the dead, ranks as the "mother of all vigils."11 Keeping watch, the Church awaits Christ's resurrection and celebrates it in the sacraments. Accordingly, the entire celebration of this vigil should take place at night, that is, it should either begin after nightfall or end before the dawn of Sunday (General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, no. 21).

[2] Easter Vigil 2018 - Easter Vigil should not begin before 8:30 pm CDT  (Nautical Twilight @ 8:32 pm CDT)

[3] Easter Vigil 2019 - Easter Vigil should not begin before 8:30 pm CDT  (Nautical Twilight @ 8:46 pm CDT)
[4] The obligation to attend Mass is abrogated when the celebration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is transferred to December 9.

Source: Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston