It has only been in recent years that I’ve started to live more liturgically. Discovering the Church calendar has been a little bit magical for me. Like uncovering some hidden treasure in an old, familiar house. There is a time for mourning and repentance, feasting and rejoicing - a tempo to our lives that is honored by the Church. I have also enjoyed finding out about centuries old traditions like Martinmas, Michaelmas, even St. Nicholas Day.
I have always been fascinated by the change of seasons and stories about them. I didn’t realize there was a point to the liturgical year leading us into preparing for each season physically as well as spiritually.
The secular world wants everything left as is. No wonder there is so much conflict, and completely different outcomes between the sacred and secular observances.
I love so many things about the Liturgical Year...
the way that it keeps us connected with the natural world,
the link to the communal celebrations of our ancestors,
the woven tapestry of cultural history and the history of the Church.
If I had to pick a favorite time in the Liturgical Year, I would pick Advent I think... perhaps Michaelmas...but also, Eastertide... and Candlemas holds a very special place in my heart.
Impossible to choose, I suppose. I am so grateful for them all!
I am a bit behind in reading your posts, but I suppose I’m just trying to get a better understanding of the liturgical calendar so I can find an approachable way to start working it into our home life. I am happy that this will be my first year observing advent!
I was educated by nuns in the 1960’s and ALL of the feasts of the liturgical calendar were either talked about and/or celebrated (or, we got the day off to go to Mass, All Saints’ Day was one of those). One of the days I clearly remember was the celebration of St. Blaise on February 3rd, when we’d go to the chapel on school grounds and kiss a relic (not sure what it was ) to protect us from illness (a bunch of kids kissing the same thing during cold and flu season 😂 hmmm...) I think of St. Blaise as the patron Saint of ENT problems. The story was he saved a boy from choking on a fish bone. Ah, the things we remember! ✨
This book is high on my to-read list! Thank you for highlighting it! You know I love the liturgical year, Kristin, and it feels unfair for me to enter the giveaway, so I'll leave the winning to others -- and I think I'll go over to my public library's website and enter a "please purchase" request for this book!
I actually heard this book recommended by Sarah Clarkson and it's been on my list! I have always loved Christmas, but I think Eastertide is my favorite. It was sort of my "real" intro to the liturgical calendar (besides advent candles). I actually really hated Easter time for a bunch of upbringing reasons, and so celebrating Eastertide was a way of kind of "redeeming" that season as one of joy, not dread.
I've been wanting to read Parker's book for about a year now, so of course I'm leaving a comment! :) What do I love about the church year? Oh, let me count the ways... I love that it tells a story and invites us into that story. I love that it teaches us to connect our lives with a larger story and to see our lives in the light of that story. I love that it hallows time and reminds us that God is present right here, right now. I love that it continually draws our eyes up to Heaven through the things of earth and invites us to see the world sacramentally. I could go on, but I'll stop there. :)
I really want to embrace more of the liturgical calendar because I feel the disconnect between the world's seasons and my own, particularly in the busy-ness of life.
I want to curl up and rest, but the world has 6 more weeks of activity it says are essential. The church probably has a better answer with liturgical instruction.
My hardest struggle with the liturgical year is integrating traditions around our ill-timed birthdays. I have kids with Halloween and November 4 birthdays that makes Hallowmas a crazy time, and my husband has a Christmas Eve birthday! It’s much easier to squeeze in celebrations of my spring and summer babes and various baptism anniversaries!
For me, as a Roman Catholic, I find that the Latin Mass republishing of the Missal of 1962 after Pope Benedict removed restrictions on this rite to be a treasure trove of knowledge about the Liturgical year.
So much of the liturgical calendar retreated to the background in the post Vatican 2 Missal.
It has only been in recent years that I’ve started to live more liturgically. Discovering the Church calendar has been a little bit magical for me. Like uncovering some hidden treasure in an old, familiar house. There is a time for mourning and repentance, feasting and rejoicing - a tempo to our lives that is honored by the Church. I have also enjoyed finding out about centuries old traditions like Martinmas, Michaelmas, even St. Nicholas Day.
I have always been fascinated by the change of seasons and stories about them. I didn’t realize there was a point to the liturgical year leading us into preparing for each season physically as well as spiritually.
The secular world wants everything left as is. No wonder there is so much conflict, and completely different outcomes between the sacred and secular observances.
Oh this is wonderful!
I love so many things about the Liturgical Year...
the way that it keeps us connected with the natural world,
the link to the communal celebrations of our ancestors,
the woven tapestry of cultural history and the history of the Church.
If I had to pick a favorite time in the Liturgical Year, I would pick Advent I think... perhaps Michaelmas...but also, Eastertide... and Candlemas holds a very special place in my heart.
Impossible to choose, I suppose. I am so grateful for them all!
Thank you Kristin!
Learning how so much tradition, liturgy and way of life are interwoven is fascinating. And it's tragic how much we've lost sight of.
I am a bit behind in reading your posts, but I suppose I’m just trying to get a better understanding of the liturgical calendar so I can find an approachable way to start working it into our home life. I am happy that this will be my first year observing advent!
I’m a liturgical calendar newbie and trying to learn as much as I can. It seems like a beautiful rhythm of life.
I was educated by nuns in the 1960’s and ALL of the feasts of the liturgical calendar were either talked about and/or celebrated (or, we got the day off to go to Mass, All Saints’ Day was one of those). One of the days I clearly remember was the celebration of St. Blaise on February 3rd, when we’d go to the chapel on school grounds and kiss a relic (not sure what it was ) to protect us from illness (a bunch of kids kissing the same thing during cold and flu season 😂 hmmm...) I think of St. Blaise as the patron Saint of ENT problems. The story was he saved a boy from choking on a fish bone. Ah, the things we remember! ✨
I love the rhythm of the liturgical calendar! It’s aligns so well with the seasons and our need for cyclical living!
I’m familiar with the Liturgical Calendar from a Catholic standpoint, but would love to dive deeper!
I love celebrating the Easter Triduum - the drama of going from Good Friday to Easter Sunday is unmatched 😊
This book is high on my to-read list! Thank you for highlighting it! You know I love the liturgical year, Kristin, and it feels unfair for me to enter the giveaway, so I'll leave the winning to others -- and I think I'll go over to my public library's website and enter a "please purchase" request for this book!
I actually heard this book recommended by Sarah Clarkson and it's been on my list! I have always loved Christmas, but I think Eastertide is my favorite. It was sort of my "real" intro to the liturgical calendar (besides advent candles). I actually really hated Easter time for a bunch of upbringing reasons, and so celebrating Eastertide was a way of kind of "redeeming" that season as one of joy, not dread.
I've been wanting to read Parker's book for about a year now, so of course I'm leaving a comment! :) What do I love about the church year? Oh, let me count the ways... I love that it tells a story and invites us into that story. I love that it teaches us to connect our lives with a larger story and to see our lives in the light of that story. I love that it hallows time and reminds us that God is present right here, right now. I love that it continually draws our eyes up to Heaven through the things of earth and invites us to see the world sacramentally. I could go on, but I'll stop there. :)
I really want to embrace more of the liturgical calendar because I feel the disconnect between the world's seasons and my own, particularly in the busy-ness of life.
I want to curl up and rest, but the world has 6 more weeks of activity it says are essential. The church probably has a better answer with liturgical instruction.
My hardest struggle with the liturgical year is integrating traditions around our ill-timed birthdays. I have kids with Halloween and November 4 birthdays that makes Hallowmas a crazy time, and my husband has a Christmas Eve birthday! It’s much easier to squeeze in celebrations of my spring and summer babes and various baptism anniversaries!
For me, as a Roman Catholic, I find that the Latin Mass republishing of the Missal of 1962 after Pope Benedict removed restrictions on this rite to be a treasure trove of knowledge about the Liturgical year.
So much of the liturgical calendar retreated to the background in the post Vatican 2 Missal.
I find the Santa Lucia celebrations fascinating - not only in Sweden but also in Italy and Spain.