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FEASTS and FASTS

The Episcopal Church recognizes several days in the church calendar as "feasts" & "fasts".

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Feast days are celebratory and usually mandate recognition through a Holy Eucharist and other symbols of celebration: such as vestment colors (often white or red), special prayers, and specific Scripture selections.  There are three types of feasts which can all be found in your Book of Common Prayer on page 15.


Principal Feasts: These feasts take precedence over any other observation or Sunday. Some have fixed dates, while others occur on varying dates.

  1. Easter Day

  2. Ascension Day

  3. The Day of Pentecost

  4. Trinity Sunday

  5. All Saints’ Day (November 1)

  6. Christmas Day (December 25)

  7. The Epiphany (January 6)


Sundays: Did you know that every Sunday is a Feast Day? They are the Feasts of Our Lord Jesus Christ. With the exception of the principal feasts above, only three other observances can replace our regular Sunday liturgy:

  1. The Holy Name

  2. The Presentation

  3. The Transfiguration

 

Holy Days: (Other Feasts of our Lord & Other Major Feasts). These observances never override Sunday service or any of the feasts above, but can be observed on the first convenient weekday:

  1. The above feasts of Our Lord along with The Annunciation, The Visitation, Saint John the Baptist, and Holy Cross Day

  2. Other major feasts: All feasts of the Apostles, all feasts of the Evangelists (also known as the authors of the four Gospels), Saint Stephen, The Holy Innocents, Saint Joseph, Saint Mary Magdalene, Saint Mary the Virgin, Saint Michael and All Angels, Saint James of Jerusalem, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving Day.


Fasts are much easier to remember. These days warrant a fast to honor and acknowledge special acts of discipline and self-denial.

 

There are only two fast days in our calendar:

  1. Ash Wednesday

  2. Good Friday

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