The Calendar and Rules to Order the Service

It is provided in Canon B6 `Of Sundays and other Days of Special Observance' that it is lawful for the General Synod to approve Holy Days which may be observed generally or provincially, and, subject to any directions of the Convocation of the province, for the Ordinary to apporve Holy Days which may be observed locally.

THE SEASONS

9th Sunday before Christmas (5th before Advent)
8th Sunday before Christmas (4th before Advent)
7th Sunday before Christmas (3rd before Advent)
6th Sunday before Christmas (2nd before Advent)
5th Sunday before Christmas (1st before Advent)

1st Sunday in Advent (4th before Christmas)
2nd Sunday in Advent (3rd before Christmas)
3rd Sunday in Advent (2nd before Christmas)
4th Sunday in Advent (1st before Christmas)

Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
1st Sunday after Christmas
2nd Sunday after Christmas

The Epiphany of Our Lord
1st Sunday after the Epiphany
2nd Sunday after the Epiphany
3rd Sunday after the Epiphany
4th Sunday after the Epiphany
5th Sunday after the Epiphany
6th Sunday after the Epiphany

9th Sunday before Easter (3rd before Lent)
8th Sunday before Easter (2nd before Lent)
7th Sunday before Easter (1st before Lent)

Ash Wednesday
1st Sunday in Lent (6th Sunday before Easter)
2nd Sunday in Lent (5th Sunday before Easter)
3rd Sunday in Lent (4th Sunday before Easter)
4th Sunday in Lent (3rd Sunday before Easter)
5th Sunday in Lent (2nd Sunday before Easter)
Palm Sunday (1st Sunday before Easter)
Monday in Holy Week
Tuesday in Holy Week
Wednesday in Holy Week
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Easter Eve

Easter Day
Monday in Easter Week
Tuesday in Easter Week
Wednesday in Easter Week
Thursday in Easter Week
Friday in Easter Week
Saturday in Easter Week
1st Sunday after Easter
2nd Sunday after Easter
3rd Sunday after Easter
4th Sunday after Easter
5th Sunday after Easter
Ascension Day
Sunday after Ascension Day (6th after Easter)

Pentecost (Whit Sunday)
Trinity Sunday
2nd Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 1)
3rd Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 2)
4th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 3)
5th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 4)
6th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 5)
7th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 6)
8th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 7)
9th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 8)
10th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 9)
11th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 10)
12th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 11)
13th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 12)
14th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 13)
15th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 14)
16th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 15)
17th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 16)
18th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 17)
19th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 18)
20th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 19)
21st Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 20)
22nd Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 21)
Last Sunday after Pentecost

PRINCIPAL HOLY DAYS

Easter Day, Ascension Day, Pentecost (Whit Sunday)
Christmas Day, the Epiphany
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday
Every Sunday in the year

FESTIVALS AND GREATER HOLY DAYS

January

1 The Naming of Jesus, or The Circumcision of Christ
25 The Conversion of St Paul the Apostle

February

2 The Presentation of Christ in the Temple

March

19 St Joseph of Nazareth, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
25 The Annunciation of Our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary

April

25 St Mark the Evangelist

May

1 St Philip and St James, Apostles
14 St Matthias the Apostle

June

11 St Barnabas the Apostle
24 The Birth of St John the Baptist
29 St Peter the Apostle

July

3 St Thomas the Apostle
22 St Mary Magdalene
25 St James the Apostle

August

6 The Transfiguration of Our Lord
24 St Bartholomew the Apostle

September

8 The Blessed Virgin Mary
21 St Matthew the Apostle
29 St Michael and All Angels

October

18 St Luke the Evangelist
28 St Simon and St Jude, Apostles

November

1 All Saints
30 St Andrew the Apostle

December

26 St Stephen the first Martyr
27 St John the Evangelist
28 The Holy Innocents

The festival of the Patron Saint or Title of a church

The dedication festival of a church, being the anniversary of the date of its dedication or consecration (or the first Sunday in October if that date is unknown)

Ash Wednesday

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in Holy Week

Easter Eve

Monday to Saturday in Easter Week

LESSER FESTIVALS AND COMMEMORATIONS

Diocesan, local, or other commemorations may be added to these lists.

The collects, psalms, and readings `Of any Saint' may be used when no others are appropriate.

January

13 Jan Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, Teacher of the Faith, 367
17 Antony of Egypt, Abbot, 356
21 Agnes, Virgin, Martyr, 304
24 Francis de Sales, Bishop, Teacher of the Faith, 1662
26 Timothy and Titus, Companions of St Paul
27 John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, Teacher of the Faith, 407
28 Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Teacher of the Faith, 1274
30 Charles I, King, Martyr, 1649

February

3 Saints and Martyrs of Europe
21 Saints and Martyrs of Africa
23 Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, Martyr, c155
27 George Herbert, Priest, Pastor, Poet, 1633

March

1 David, Bishop, Patron Saint of Wales, c601
2 Chad, Bishop of Lichfield, Missionary, 672
7 Perpetua and her Companions, Carthage, Martyrs, 203
8 Edward King, Bishop of Lincoln, Teacher, Pastor, 1910
17 Patrick, Bishop, Patron Saint of Ireland, c460
18 Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, 387
20 Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, Missionary, 687
Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells, 1711
21 Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr, 1556
29 John Keble, Priest, Pastor, Poet, 1866

April

8 Saints and Martyrs of the Americas
9 William Law, Mystic, Non-juror, 1761
21 Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, Teacher of the Faith, 1109
23 George, Patron Saint of England, Martyr, 4th century
29 Catherine of Siena, Mystic, 1380

May

2 Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher of the Faith, 373
8 Julian of Norwich, Mystic, c1417
19 Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, 988
24 John and Charles Wesley, Priests, Poets, Teachers of the Faith, 1791, 1788
25 The Venerable Bede, Priest, and Monk of Jarrow, 735
26 Augustine, first Archbishop of Canterbury, 605
31 The Visit of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth

June

1 Justin, Martyr at Rome, c165
5 Boniface, Bishop, Missionary, Martyr, 754
9 Columba, Abbot of Iona, Missionary, 597
14 Fathers of the Eastern Church
Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea, Teacher of the Faith, 379
22 Alban, first Martyr of Britain, c209
28 Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, Martyr, c200

July

6 Thomas More, Martyr, 1535
11 Benedict, Abbot of Monte Casino, c550
26 Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary
29 William Wilberforce, Social Reformer, 1833

August

4 Dominic, Priest, Friar, 1221
5 Oswald, King of Northumbria, 642
10 Lawrence, Deacon, Martyr, 258
11 Clare of Assisi, Virgin, 1253
13 Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down and Connor, Pastor, Teacher, 1667
20 Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, 1153
28 Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Teacher of the Faith, 430
31 Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne, Missionary, 651
John Bunyan, Author, 1688

September

3 Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, Teacher of the Faith, 604
13 Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, Martyr, 258
14 Holy Cross Day
16 Ninian, Bishop in Galloway, c. 430
20 Saints and Martyrs of the Pacific and Australia
25 Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, 1626
27 Vincent de Paul, Founder of the Vincentian Order, 1660

October

4 Francis of Assisi, Friar, 1226
6 William Tyndale, Translator of the Bible, 1536
10 Paulinus, Bishop of York, Missionary, 644
13 Edward the Confessor, King of England, 1066
15 Teresa of Avila, Mystic, 1582
17 Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, Martyr, c107
29 James Hannington, Bishop of East Equatorial Africa, Missionary, Martyrs, 1885
31 Saints and Martyrs of the Reformation Era

November

2 Commemoration of All Souls
3 Richard Hooker, Teacher of the Faith, 1600
8 Saints and Martyrs of England
11 Martin, Bishop of Tours, 397
13 Charles Simeon, Pastor, Preacher, 1836
16 Margaret, Queen of Scotland, Queen, Wife, Mother, 1093
17 Hilda, Abbess of Whitby, 680
Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, 1200
20 Edmund of East Anglia, King, Martyr, 870

December

2 Nicholas Ferrar, Deacon, Founder of the Little Gidding Community, 1637
3 Saints and Martyrs of Asia
Francis Xavier, Missionary, 1552
6 Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, c326
7 Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Teacher of the Faith, 397
14 John of the Cross, Mystic, Teacher of the Faith, 1591
29 Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr, 1170
30 Josephine Butler, Social Reformer, Wife, Mother, 1907
31 John Wyclif, Theologian, Reformer, 1384

SPECIAL DAYS OF PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING

Christmas Eve and Easter Eve are days of preparation for Christmas Day and Easter Day.

Ember Days are the Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays within the weeks before the Third Sunday in Advent, the Second Sunday in Lent, and the Sundays nearest to the Festivals of St Peter, and St Michael and All Angels. On these days prayer is offered for all who serve the Church in its various ministries, both clerical and lay, and for all who are to be ordained or commissioned to those ministries. Ember Days may also be observed on such days as are directed by the Bishop.

Rogation Days are the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday after the Fifth Sunday after Easter. On those days prayer is offered for God's blessing on the fruits of the earth and the labours of men.

The Thursday after Trinity Sunday may be observed as a day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion.

Harvest Thanksgiving.

The Eve of St Andrew's Day (29 November) may be observed as a day of Intercession and Thanksgiving for the missionary work of the Church.

DAYS OF DISCIPLINE AND SELF-DENIAL

Ash Wednesday, Good Friday.

The other weekdays of Lent.

All the Fridays in the year except
(a) Christmas Day and the Epiphany
(b) all Festivals and Greater Holy Days falling outside Lent
(c) the Fridays after Christmas Day and Easter Day.

A TABLE OF MOVABLE FEASTS AND HOLY DAYS

Advent Sunday is the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, and falls in the seventh week before Easter.

Holy Week is the week before Easter Day, and includes Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Eve.

Ascension Day is forty days after Easter.

Pentecost (Whit Sunday) is seven weeks after Easter Day.

Trinity Sunday is eight weeks after Easter Day.

THE DATE OF EASTER

unless other provision is made

1981 April 19		2004 April 11
1982 April 11		2005 March 27
1983 April 3		2006 April 16
1984 April 22		2007 April 8
1985 April 7		2008 March 23
1986 March 30		2009 April 12
1987 April 19		2010 April 4
1988 April 3		2011 April 24
1989 March 26		2012 April 8
1990 April 15		2013 March 31
1991 March 31		2014 April 20
1992 April 19		2015 April 5
1993 April 11		2016 March 27
1994 April 3		2017 April 16
1995 April 16		2018 April 1
1996 April 7		2019 April 21
1997 March 30		2020 April 12
1998 April 12		2021 April 4
1999 April 4		2022 April 17
2000 April 23		2023 April 9
2001 April 15		2024 March 31
2002 March 31		2025 April 20
2003 April 20

A TABLE OF MOVABLE FEASTS ACCORDING TO THE DATE OF EASTER

...

RULES TO ORDER THE SERVICE

1 (a) The readings and all else which is proper to the service of the nine Sundays before Christmas, Christmas Day, the First and Second Sundays after Christmas, the Epiphany, the Presentation of Christ, Ash Wednesday, the Sundays of Lent, the days of Holy Week and Easter Week, the Sundays after Easter, Ascension Day, the Sunday after Ascension Day, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, and All Saints' Day, are said on their appointed days, and are not replaced by the service of any other days, subject to the following exceptions:

(i) when All Saints' Day falls on the Eighth Sunday before Christmas, it takes precedence over the Sunday.

(ii) the Festival of the Patron Saint or Title or the Dedication Festival of a Church may be observed on the Ninth to Fifth Sundays before Christmas inclusive, on the First and Second Sundays after Christmas, and on every Sunday after Easter except the First.

(b) At Baptisms, Confirmations, Ordinations, and Marriages, on days for which provision is made in this rule, unless the Bishop directs otherwise, the readings of the day are used, and the collect of the day is said.

2 Principal Holy Days, Festivals, and Greater Holy Days are observed with their own proper service of Morning and Evening Prayer, and may also be observed with a celebration of Holy Communion with their own proper readings and all else which pertains to the service.

3 When a Festival or Greater Holy Day falls on one of the days to which reference is made in Rule 1, it is transferred to the first available day, except that when the Festivals of Saint Joseph and the Annunciation fall on a Sunday in Lent they are transferred to the preceding Saturday. When the Festivals of Saint Joseph and the Annunciation are both to be transferred to the week after the First Sunday after Easter, the Festival of the Annunciation is transferred to the Monday and the Festival of Saint Joseph to the Tuesday.

4 When a Festival or Greater Holy Day falls on a Sunday other than those to which reference is made in Rule 1, it is observed on the Sunday, and the readings and all else proper to the Sunday are omitted for that year.

5 The service of Evening Prayer appointed for a Festival or Greater Holy Day is normally used on the evening of the Festival or Greater Holy Day itself, but if circumstances require, it may be used instead on the evening before the Festival or Greater Holy Day. For Christmas Day, the Epiphany, Easter, Ascension Day, Pentecost, and All Saints' Day, provision is made for Evening Prayer on the previous day.

6 The Lesser Festivals and Commemorations may be observed with their appropriate collects, psalms, and readings; but if they fall on a Principal Holy Day, a Festival or Greater Holy Day (whether transferred or not), Ash Wednesday, one of the days of Holy Week or Easter Week, or Ascension Day, they are not observed. When a Lesser Festival or Commemoration is observed as the Feast of the Patron Saint or Title of a church, it may be treated as a Festival or Greater Holy Day.

7 When a Festival or Greater Holy Day falls on an Ember Day or a Rogation Day, the service of the Festival or Greater Holy Day is used, and when a Lesser Festival or Commemoration falls on an Ember Day or Rogation Day, the service of the Lesser Festival or Commemoration is to be preferred: in such circumstances, prayers suitable to Embertide or Rogationtide may be said during the intercessions at Holy Communion and after the last collect at Morning and Evening Prayer.

8 The collect, psalms, and readings appointed for the Harvest Thanksgiving may replace those appointed for the day, but not on the Festivals of Saint Matthew, Saint Michael and All Angels, or Saint Luke.

9 On weekdays, the collect of the previous Sunday is said, unless other provision is made; on the weekdays following Christmas Day, the Epiphany, Ash Wednesday and Ascension Day, it is replaced by the collects of these Holy Days; and subject to Rule 6, on a Lesser Festival or Commemoration, it is replaced by the collect appointed for that day. The collects of Christmas Day and Easter Day are not said on Christmas Eve and Easter Eve respectively.

10 The Proper Thanksgiving of Advent is said from Advent Sunday until Christmas Day; of Christmas, until the Epiphany; of the Epiphany, until the Ninth Sunday before Easter; of Lent, from Ash Wednesday until Palm Sunday; of Passiontide, on Palm Sunday and the six days following; of Easter, until Ascension Day; of Ascension Day, until Pentecost; of Pentecost, for six days after; except that they are replaced by the Proper Thanksgiving of Maundy Thursday, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, the Annunciation, the Festivals of Saints, and the Dedication of a Church, on their appointed days. In this Rule the word 'until' is used exclusively.

A TABLE OF TRANSFERENCES

required or excluded by the Rules

St Joseph or the Annunciation falling on a Sunday in Lent or on any day between Palm Sunday and the First Sunday after Easter, both inclusive must be transferred

St Mark falling on Easter Day or any day to the First Sunday after Easter inclusive or on any Sunday in Eastertide must be transferred

St Philip and St James or St Matthias falling on Ascension Day or a Sunday must be transferred

St Barnabas falling on Pentecost or Trinity Sunday must be transferred

St Simon and St Jude or St Andrew falling on a Sunday must be transferred

St Stephen, St John, Holy Innocents, and the Naming of Jesus falling on the Sunday after Christmas Day must be transferred

All other Festivals falling on a Sunday may not be transferred