{"id":20160,"date":"2022-11-25T07:35:58","date_gmt":"2022-11-25T06:35:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.historyextra.com\/?p=220364"},"modified":"2022-11-28T09:11:49","modified_gmt":"2022-11-28T08:11:49","slug":"the-medieval-church-calendar-a-guide-to-the-holy-days","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/rss_feed\/the-medieval-church-calendar-a-guide-to-the-holy-days\/","title":{"rendered":"The medieval church calendar: a guide to the holy days"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Charlotte Hodgman\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 25 November 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

The Church calendar was deeply ingrained in the lives of medieval people and the passing of time was marked by Church festivals as much as by the day and month.<\/p>\n

The Church year was divided into two parts. The first followed Christ\u2019s life on earth, beginning on Advent Sunday and ending on Corpus Christi in midsummer. Its services referenced the events of the life of Jesus. The second covered the rest of the year, in which the services had more general themes. The year was also punctuated by many saints\u2019 days.<\/p>\n

Lay people were expected to observe the Church year by attending services on the special days and by fasting on Fridays, during Lent and on the days before major feasts. Holy days were also holidays, allowing (and indeed requiring) abstention from work apart from domestic tasks.<\/p>\n

Read more | The medieval church: your guide to religion and worship in the Middle Ages<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
With so many observances to remember, it was the job of the clergy to remind their congregation of the upcoming festivals and what was expected of them. Liturgical books included calendars to help the clergy keep track, and literate lay people would have them in the front of their own personal prayer books.<\/p>\n
Here is just a small selection of the festivals and feast days celebrated in the Middle Ages\u2026<\/p>\n
January<\/h2>\n
The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ<\/h3>\n
Then, as now, 1 January was regarded as New Year\u2019s Day, although the year date (up to 1752) did not change until 25 March.<\/p>\n
The Octave of Epiphany<\/h3>\n
An eight-day celebration (6\u201313 January) of Christ\u2019s baptism and the arrival of the Magi bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.<\/p>\n
February<\/h2>\n
Candlemas<\/h3>\n
This festival (2 February) honoured the churching of the Virgin Mary 40 days after Christ\u2019s birth and, from at least the 10th century, was a major feast day requiring church attendance. Each parishioner \u2013 adults and children \u2013 came to church bringing a candle, where they would hear mass and make a monetary offering. The candles became the perquisite of the parish clergyman.<\/p>\n
On the podcast | Professor Nicholas Orme answers listener questions about the church in medieval England:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<hr\/><h2>March\/April<\/h2>\n<h3>Lent<\/h3>\n<p>The date of Easter \u2013 as it does now \u2013 varied from year to year. Linked to the first new moon of spring, the festival could fall at any point between 22 March and 25 April. Easter was preceded by Lent, a period of six weeks beginning on Ash Wednesday. This was a penitential day; ashes would be blessed and then painted on the foreheads of the clergy and laity in the shape of a cross. During Lent a large curtain, known as the Lenten veil, screened the high altar in the chancel from view and all the images in the church were veiled, too. Adults were also required to abstain from animal products other than fish, and to make their confession in church.<\/p>\n<h3>Holy Week and Easter<\/h3>\n<p>The last week of Lent began with Palm Sunday, a day of celebration. It was a week full of elaborate ceremonies. After mass on Maundy Thursday, the altars were stripped of coverings and ornaments. The next day, Good Friday, was a day of mourning on which the story of Christ\u2019s passion was read from the Gospel of John. The laity would perform the ritual of \u2018creeping to the cross\u2019, crawling or crossing the floor on their knees to kiss the cross. Easter Day required all adult parishioners to receive communion in the form of a consecrated wafer and a sip of unconsecrated wine.<\/p>\n<ul><li><strong>Read more | <a href=\""https:\/\/www.historyextra.com\/period\/medieval\/easter-origins-history-facts-celebrate\/"\">Eggs, bunnies and Jesus Christ: the history and origins of Easter<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><h3>Hocktide<\/h3>\n<p>This folk custom \u2013 held on the second Monday and Tuesday after Easter \u2013 saw men and women take turns to capture each other. The money each paid for their release was given for the upkeep of the parish church.<\/p>\n<h3>Rogationtide<\/h3>\n<p>The three-day celebration of Rogationtide \u2013 each day representing one of the three ages of the world \u2013 took place six weeks after Easter, with long processions led by a straw-stuffed dragon as a representation of the Devil. On the third day, the dragon had the straw removed from its tail so that it hung limp, and was relegated to the back of the procession. The Devil had been defeated and Christ was now triumphant.<\/p>\n<h2>May\/June<\/h2>\n<p>Pentecost (Whit Sunday) Seven days after Rogation week, this was the third great festival of the Church year. People were required to come to church to offer their \u2018smoke farthings\u2019 \u2013 the amount required from every house with a hearth. The following week, the money was sent to the local cathedral in a procession of lay people; the various parish processions often wrangled over who came in front of whom, sometimes leading to fights.<\/p>\n<h3>Corpus Christi<\/h3>\n<p>Celebrated on the second Thursday after Pentecost, this feast honoured the communion bread and wine, which were believed to become Christ\u2019s blood and body. A public procession displayed the consecrated elements to the world.<\/p>\n<h2>July\/August<\/h2>\n<h3>2nd July<\/h3>\n<p>The Visitation of the Virgin to her cousin Elizabeth<\/p>\n<h3>26th July<\/h3>\n<p>The Feast of Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin<\/p>\n<h3>1st August<\/h3>\n<p>The Feast of Saint Peter (Lammas Day)<\/p>\n<h3>6th August<\/h3>\n<p>The Transfiguration of Jesus<\/p>\n<div class=\""image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--aspect=\"\" style=\""padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=299%2C199,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?quality=90&resize=299%2C199,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=354%2C236"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?quality=90&resize=354%2C236"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=404%2C269"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?quality=90&resize=404%2C269"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=554%2C369"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?quality=90&resize=554%2C369"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=407%2C271"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?quality=90&resize=407%2C271"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=555%2C370"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?quality=90&resize=555%2C370"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><img class=\""wp-image-220383\" align=\"\" size-landscape_thumbnail=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--aspect=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages640267019-5554318.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" width=\""620"\" height=\""413"\" alt=\"""\" title=\"""\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\""caption-hold"\"><figcaption class=\""wp-caption-text"\"><span class=\""caption-copy"\"><i class=\""icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> A Renaissance depiction of Saint Michael \u2013 one of the archangels. (Image by Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\""im-image-caption"\"\/><\/div>\n<h2>September<\/h2>\n<h3>Michaelmas Day<\/h3>\n<p>The feast of Saint Michael the Archangel was celebrated on 29 September. As summer ended and winter loomed, this and some other Christian festivals sought to deflect the ill effects of the darkness to come. Michael is especially associated with victory over the powers of evil.<\/p>\n<h2>October\/November<\/h2>\n<h3>5th Oct<\/h3>\n<p>The Feast of Saint Raphael<\/p>\n<h3>All Saints Day<\/h3>\n<p>Celebrated on 1 November, this was a major feast day, as was All Souls the next day. On All Saints Eve, vigils were kept in churches and church bells rang through the night on behalf of the souls in Purgatory.<\/p>\n<h3>23rd & 25th Nov<\/h3>\n<p>According to a proclamation of <a href=\""https:\/\/www.historyextra.com\/period\/tudor\/king-henry-viii-facts-wives-spouse-execution-weight-reformation-cromwell\/"\">Henry VIII<\/a> in 1541, the feasts of Saint Clement (23 November) and Saint Katharine (25 November) saw children dress as \u201ccounterfeit priests, bishops and women, and so led with songs and dances from house to house, blessing the people and gathering of money.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>December<\/h2>\n<h3>Saint Nicholas Day<\/h3>\n<p>This day (6 December) saw the ceremony of the boy bishop, a custom that was often repeated on Holy Innocents\u2019 Day (28 December). In a reversal of roles, a boy of the parish would act as bishop (with other boys serving as his clergy or servants) for 24 hours, during which he would preside over the liturgy and bless those in church. Afterwards, the boys would tour the local area asking for food and money.<\/p>\n<div class=\""image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--aspect=\"\" style=\""padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=299%2C199,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?quality=90&resize=299%2C199,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=354%2C236"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?quality=90&resize=354%2C236"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=404%2C269"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?quality=90&resize=404%2C269"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=554%2C369"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?quality=90&resize=554%2C369"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=407%2C271"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?quality=90&resize=407%2C271"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?webp=true&quality=90&resize=555%2C370"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?quality=90&resize=555%2C370"\" type=\""image\/png"\"><img class=\""wp-image-220382\" align=\"\" size-landscape_thumbnail=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--aspect=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/11\/GettyImages463919285-08aa520.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" width=\""620"\" height=\""413"\" alt=\"""\" title=\"""\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\""caption-hold"\"><figcaption class=\""wp-caption-text"\"><span class=\""caption-copy"\"><i class=\""icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> The Magi \u2013 Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar \u2013 present their gifts to the infant Jesus while Jesus and Mary look on. (Image by Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\""im-image-caption"\"\/><\/div>\n<h3>Advent<\/h3>\n<p>The season of Advent began with Advent Sunday, which could fall between 27 November and 3 December, and was a solemn period. The Book of Isaiah, with its prophecies of Christ\u2019s birth, would be read at the morning service and fasting was recommended. Marriages were forbidden, as with Lent and Rogationtide.<\/p>\n<ul><li><strong>Read more | <a href=\""https:\/\/www.historyextra.com\/period\/medieval\/medieval-christmas-ultimate-guide-facts-celebrations-food\/"\">How to host a medieval Christmas<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><h3>Christmas<\/h3>\n<p>This was the last of the three great feasts of the year (with Easter and Pentecost). Three masses could be celebrated, beginning at midnight, and churches could be decorated with holly and ivy or extra candles. The three days after Christmas (those of Saint Stephen, Saint John the Evangelist and the Holy Innocents) were also major festivals. Wealthy households would take the period between Christmas and Epiphany (6 January) as a holiday, exchanging gifts on 1 January, New Year\u2019s Day, rather than at Christmas.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>This article first appeared in the Christmas 2021 issue of <a href=\""https:\/\/www.historyextra.com\/bbc-history-revealed-magazine\/"\">BBC History Revealed<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Charlotte Hodgman Published: Friday, 25 November 2022 at 12:00 am The Church calendar was deeply ingrained in the lives of medieval people and the passing of time was marked by Church festivals as much as by the day and month. The Church year was divided into two parts. The first followed Christ\u2019s life on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":20161,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"7"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2022\/11\/the-medieval-church-calendar-a-guide-to-the-holy-days.png",620,413,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2022\/11\/the-medieval-church-calendar-a-guide-to-the-holy-days-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2022\/11\/the-medieval-church-calendar-a-guide-to-the-holy-days-300x200.png",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2022\/11\/the-medieval-church-calendar-a-guide-to-the-holy-days.png",620,413,false],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2022\/11\/the-medieval-church-calendar-a-guide-to-the-holy-days.png",620,413,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2022\/11\/the-medieval-church-calendar-a-guide-to-the-holy-days.png",620,413,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2022\/11\/the-medieval-church-calendar-a-guide-to-the-holy-days.png",620,413,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Charlotte Hodgman Published: Friday, 25 November 2022 at 12:00 am The Church calendar was deeply ingrained in the lives of medieval people and the passing of time was marked by Church festivals as much as by the day and month. The Church year was divided into two parts. The first followed Christ\u2019s life on…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/20160"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

January<\/h2>\n

The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ<\/h3>\nThen, as now, 1 January was regarded as New Year\u2019s Day, although the year date (up to 1752) did not change until 25 March.<\/p>\n

The Octave of Epiphany<\/h3>\nAn eight-day celebration (6\u201313 January) of Christ\u2019s baptism and the arrival of the Magi bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.<\/p>\n

February<\/h2>\n

The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ<\/h3>\n
Then, as now, 1 January was regarded as New Year\u2019s Day, although the year date (up to 1752) did not change until 25 March.<\/p>\n

The Octave of Epiphany<\/h3>\n
An eight-day celebration (6\u201313 January) of Christ\u2019s baptism and the arrival of the Magi bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.<\/p>\n