Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the 40-day season of Lent, when Christians prepare spiritually for the celebration of Easter. On this day, Catholics and some Protestant denominations will attend a special prayer service, where they will have ashes applied to their foreheads in the shape of a cross. This cross of ashes symbolizes penance, […]
Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified. In the Gospels, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a young donkey, and to the lavish praise of the townspeople who threw clothes, or possibly palms or small branches, in […]
Holy Thursday is the commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, when, prior to his arrest and crucifixion, he established the practice of communion, which is considered a sacrament among most Christian communities. Later that evening, he prays in the Garden of Gethsemane. More information from the Catholic Church More information from The Church […]
A festival and holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. After He died on the cross, his body was placed in a tomb, where it remained for three days, separated from His spirit, until on Sunday, when he was resurrected. It is the most important day of the Christian calendar. More information […]
Pentecost is known by Christians as the birthday of their church community. The word Pentecost is Greek for “50th day.” It is celebrated fifty days after Easter Sunday, to commemorate when the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and their followers, inspiring them to begin their Earthly ministry to make disciples of all nations. More […]
Also known as The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, today is a Solemnity, a feast of the highest rank in the Roman Catholic Church, honoring the Holy Eucharist, bread and wine which is ritually blessed and consumed during mass. Catholics believe this ritual blessing transubstantiates, or changes the substance of the bread and […]
For Catholics, the new Liturgical Year commences with the first Sunday of Advent. In this new liturgical year, the Church not only wishes to indicate the beginning of a year, but the beginning of a renewed commitment to the faith by all those who follow Christ, the Lord. Advent is the period of four Sundays […]
This is a popular feast day in the Americas, especially among Hispanic Catholics, and celebrates Mary, Jesus mother, who is the patron saint of the Americas. This feast celebrates when, on the 9th and 12th of December 1531, in Mexico City, the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego. More information can be found here.
Christmas is the holiday during which Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, who they believe is the Son of God and Mary. The Christmas season is a time to reflect and act upon the blessings and opportunities Christians have received through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is written in Christian […]
The Feast of Reyes (Fiesta de Reyes or Los Reyes) is celebrated in Spain/Portugal and Latin America on January 6th. The feast celebrates the passage in the Bible in which the Three Wise Men safely arrive to Jerusalem thanks to the guidance of the Star and bring gifts to Jesus. The level of celebration varies […]