The Liturgical Calendar:

The Church Calendar reviews Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and the birth of the Christian church on earth, over the course of a year. The seasons and festivals that are observed are listed below. Click each link for more information:

MAJOR FESTIVALS:

• Advent Season
• Christmas Season
• Epiphany Season
  • The Epiphany of Our Lord
  • The Baptism of Our Lord
  • The Transfiguration of Our Lord
• Lenten Season
  • Ash Wednesday
  • Palm Sunday
  • Maundy Thursday
  • Good Friday
• Easter Season
  • The Ascension of Our Lord
• Pentecost and the Season after Pentecost
  • The Holy Trinity (First Sunday after Pentecost)

MINOR FESTIVALS:

• November
  • 30 St. Andrew, Apostle
• December
  • 21 St. Thomas, Apostle
  • 26 St. Stephen, The First Martyr
  • 27 St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
  • 28 The Holy Innocents, Martyrs
  • 31 New Year's Eve
• January
  • 1 New Year's Day (The Circumcision of Our Lord)
  • 18 The Confession of St. Peter
  • 24 St. Timothy, Pastor and Confessor
  • 25 The Conversion of St. Paul
  • 26 St. Titus, Pastor and Confessor
• February
  • 2 The Presentation of Our Lord
  • 18 Martin Luther, Doctor and Confessor
  • 24 St. Matthias, Apostle
• March
  • 25 The Annunciation of Our Lord
• April
  • 25 St. Mark, Evangelist
• May
  • 1 St. Philip and St. James, Apostles
  • 7 C.F.W. Walther, Doctor
  • 31 The Visitation
• June
  • 11 St. Barnabas, Apostle
  • 24 The Nativity of St. John the Baptist
  • 25 Presentation of the Augsburg Confession
  • 29 St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles
• July
  • 22 St. Mary Magdalene
  • 25 St. James the Elder, Apostle
• August
  • 10 St. Laurence, Martyr
  • 15 St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord
  • 25 St. Bartholomew, Apostle
• September
  • 14 Holy Cross Day
  • 21 St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
  • 29 St. Michael and All Angels
• October
  • 18 St. Luke, Evangelist
  • 28 St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles
  • 31 Reformation Day
• November
  • 1 All Saints' Day
  • 2 Commemoration of the Faithful Departed

There are specific Scripture passages read on the particular days of the church year. Christian churches around the world follow the liturgical calendar and lectionary so that many are reading the same passages and observing the same feast days throughout the year. Even churches that do not follow the liturgical calendar most of the year observe Christmas and Easter according to the liturgical calendar, which are the main festivals of the church year.