The church year begins on the first Sunday of Advent, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. The church year begins on 03 December 2017 and 02 December 2018
The church year is divided into a number of seasons:
Advent, Advent is the period which anticipates, prepares for, and builds up to Christmas. There are four Sundays in Advent.
Christmas, the Christmas season begins on Christmas Day which falls on the 25th of December each year. There are 12 days in Christmas.
The period of Ordinary time after Epiphany, Epiphany falls on the 6th of January each year, but is usually celebrated on the Sunday between the 2nd and 8th days of January.
Lent, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (1 March 2017 and 14 February 2018)
Easter lasts 50 days, using inclusive counting and begins on the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord (16 April 2017 and 1 April 2018)
The period of Ordinary time after Pentecost.
The preface to the calendar in the prayer book describes its purpose: The Church's year both commemorates and proclaims how God came down from heaven to earth in Jesus Christ, who still lives among us by the Holy Spirit until he comes again at the end of time. The yearly observance of the holy days of the calendar is a celebration of what God has done and is doing for our salvation.
Holy days are distinguished as Great Festivals (being the principal celebrations), Festivals (celebrating New Testament events), Commemorations (recalling particular individuals and events), and other Special Days - the observance of the former taking precedence over the latter in the event of clashes. The preface to the calendar describes the commemorations as occasions: when the Church thankfully recalls the work and witness of men and women through whom Christ's saving victory has been manifested from the time of the apostles to the present day.
Each and every Sunday in the year is a Great Festival, in addition the following days are Great Festivals:
Christmas Day which is celebrated on the 25th of December each year.
Epiphany which falls on the 6th of January each year, but is usually celebrated on the Sunday between the 2nd and the 8th of January.
Ascension Day (25 May 2017 and 10 May 2018).
Corpus Christi also known as the Commemoration of the Holy Communion and falls on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday (15 June 2017 and 31 May 2018).
All Saints' Day which falls on the 1st day of November each year.
The following Sundays (also Great Festivals) have special significance:
The Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Epiphany.
The Transfiguration of Jesus is celebrated on the Sunday before Lent.
Palm Sunday: The Sunday of the Passion (9 April 2017 and 25 March 2018).
The Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord (16 April 2017 and 1 April 2018).
The Day of Pentecost (4 June 2017 and 20 May 2018).
Trinity Sunday: The Sunday after Pentecost (11 June 2017 and 27 May 2018).
The Reign of Christ is celebrated on the last Sunday of the liturgical year, i.e. the Sunday before the first Sunday of Advent (26 November 2017 and 25 November 2018).
Festivals and commemorations
Festivals are shown in bold text and commemorations are shown in regular type. While this list shares many similarities with other calendars in the Anglican Communion, it is specific to Southern Africa and is determined by the Southern African Synod of Bishops.
1: The Holy Name of Jesus: The circumcision of Christ
10: William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury and Martyr, 1645
11: The Holy Innocents can be kept on this day instead of 28 December
13: Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers and Teacher of the Faith, 367
14: Richard Meux Benson of Cowley, Religious, 1915
17: Anthony of Egypt, Founder of the Religious Life, 356
18: The Confession of St Peter
21: Agnes, Virgin and Martyr, c.304
23: Yona Kanamuzeyi, Deacon and Martyr in Rwanda, Africa, 1964
24: Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva, 1622
25: The Conversion of Paul
26: Timothy and Titus
27: John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople and Teacher of the Faith, 407
28: Thomas Aquinas, Teacher of the Faith, 1274
29: Charles Frederick Mackenzie, Bishop in Central Africa, 1862
2: The Presentation of our Lord in the Temple
3: Anskar, Bishop and Missionary in Denmark and Sweden, 864
4: Manche Masemola of Sekhukhuneland, Virgin and Martyr, 1928
5: The Martyrs of Japan, 1597
9: James Mata Dwane, Priest, 1916
14: Cyril and Methodius, Missionaries to the Slavs, 9th century
15: Thomas Bray, Priest, 1730
20: Mother Cecile of Grahamstown, Religious, 1906
23: Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna and Martyr, 155
27: George Herbert, Priest, 1632
1: David, Bishop and Missionary in Wales, 6th century
2: Chad, Bishop of Lichfield, 672
3: John and Charles Wesley, Priests, 18th century
7: Perpetua and her companions, Martyrs, 202
9: Maqhamusela Khanyile of Zululand, Martyr, 1877
12: Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome and Teacher of the Faith, 604
17: Patrick, Bishop and Missionary in Ireland, 461
18: Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Teacher of the Faith, 386
19: Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells, 1711
20: Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, 687
21: Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury and Martyr, 1556
25: The Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary
29: John Keble, Priest, 1866
1: Frederick Denison Maurice, Priest, 1872
6: William Law, Priest, 1761
11: George Augustus Selwyn, Bishop and Missionary in New Zealand, 1878
21: Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury and Teacher of the Faith, 1109
23: George, Martyr, 4th century
25: St Mark
29: Catherine of Siena, 1380
1: St Joseph
2: Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria and Teacher of the Faith, 373
3: St Philip and St James
4: Monica, Mother of Augustine of Hippo, 387
6: St John may be kept on this day instead of 27 December
12: Simon of Cyrene
13: Elizabeth Paul of Mthatha
19: Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, 988
21: Helena, Mother of the Emperor Constantine, 4th century
25: The Venerable Bede, Teacher of the Faith, 735
26: Augustine, First Archbishop of Canterbury and Missionary, 605
31: The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1: Justin Martyr, c. 165
2: The Martyrs of Lyon, 177
3: The Martyrs of Uganda, 1886
5: Boniface, Bishop and Martyr in Germany, 755
9: Columba of Iona, Missionary in Scotland, 597
11: St Barnabas
13: Anthony of Lisbon, Religious, 1231
14: Basil and his Companions, Teachers of the Faith, 4th century
18: Bernard Mizeki, Martyr in Mashonaland, 1896
22: Alban, First Martyr in Britain, c. 304
24: The Birth of St John the Baptist
28: Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons and Teacher of the Faith, c. 202
29: St Peter and St Paul
3: St Thomas
6: Thomas More, Martyr, 1535
11: Benedict of Monte Cassino, Religious, c. 540
13: Silas
22: St Mary Magdalene
25: St James
29: William Wilberforce, Philanthropist, 1833
30: Mary and Martha of Bethany
3: St Stephen may be kept on this day instead of 26 December
6: The Transfiguration of our Lord
8: Dominic, Religious, 1221
15: St Mary the Virgin, mother of our Lord
20: Bernard of Clairvaux, Religious, 1153
24: St Bartholomew
28: Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in Africa, 430
29: The Beheading of St John the Baptist
1: Robert Gray, First Bishop of Cape Town, 1872
2: The Martyrs of New Guinea, 1942
8: The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
13: Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage and Martyr, 258
14: Holy Cross Day
16: Ninian, Bishop and Missionary in Scotland, c. 432
19: Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, 690
20: John Coleridge Patteson, Bishop of Melanesia and Martyr, 1871
21: St Matthew
26: Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, 1626
29: St Michael and All Angels
30: Jerome, Priest and Teacher of the Faith, 420
1: Remigius, Bishop and Missionary to the Franks, 530
2: Anthony, Earl of Shaftsbury, Philanthropist, 1885
4: Francis of Assisi, Religious, 1226
6: Sister Henrietta CSM and AA
7: William Tyndale, Priest and Martyr, 1536
11: Philip the Deacon
15: Teresa of Avila, Religious, 1582
16: Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley, Bishops and Martyrs, 1555
17: Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr, c. 110
18: St Luke
19: Henry Martyn, Missionary to the East, 1812
28: St Simon and St Jude
2: The Commemoration of the Faithful Departed
3: The Martyrs of Mbokotwana, 1880
4: Martin de Porres, Religious, 1639
7: Willibrord, Bishop and Missionary in the Netherlands, 739
8: Martyrs and Confessors of our Time
10: Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome and Teacher of the Faith, 461
11: Martin, Bishop of Tours, 397
12: Charles Simeon, Priest, 1836
14: Samuel Seabury, Bishop in America, 1784
16: Margaret, Queen of Scotland, 1093
17: Hilda of Whitby, Religious, 680
22: Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr at Rome, c. 230
23: Clement, Bishop of Rome and Martyr, c. 100
30: St Andrew
1: Nicholas Ferrar, Deacon and Religious, 1637
3: Francis Xavier, Priest and Missionary to the East, 1552
4: John of Damascus, Teacher of the Faith, c. 760
5: Peter Masiza, Priest, 1907
7: Ambrose, Bishop of Milan and Teacher of the Faith, 397
24: Christmas Eve
26: St Stephen This Festival may be transferred to 3 August
27: St John This Festival may be transferred to 6 May
28: The Holy Innocents This Festival may be transferred to 11 January
29: Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury and Martyr, 1170
Days of Special Devotion are Ash Wednesday, the weekdays of Holy Week (including the Easter Vigil), and the weekdays of Easter Week. Additionally Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are fast days.
Ember Days fall on the following Sundays (and include the Wednesday and Friday prior): the Third Sunday in Advent, the Second Sunday in Lent, Trinity Sunday, and the Twenty Sixth Sunday of the Year. On these days particularly prayers are offered for theological institutions, the ordained, and those preparing for ordination.
Rogation Days are the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday following the Twenty Eighth Sunday of the Year and can be moved to suit local custom. On these days God's blessing is asked for the fruitfulness of the earth and peoples labour.
The Harvest Thanksgiving is celebrated according to local custom.
Evening Prayer on the eve of Christmas, Pentecost, and Ascension are services of special preparation for those Festivals.
