The calendar of saints and commemorations in the Church of the Province of Melanesia (the Anglican Church in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu) is a continually developing list. Both old and new, universal and local saints and worthies are celebrated.
Classification of saint's days and commemorations
There are three main classes of saint's day within the calendar. This classification is based on the reformed scheme of holy day classification used by the Roman Catholic Church from 1965 to 1970.
Class I days are all the Major Holy Days of the Church. All the festivals of our Lord and a few others are Class I. There is always a First Evensong and Second Evensong. Morning Prayer, the Holy Eucharist and the both Evensongs all have proper psalms and lessons appropriate to the day. The Holy Eucharist is sung, and the Creed and Gloria are used. These Major Holy Days are never transferred unless they fall during Holy Week or Easter Week. Baptism, Confirmation, and Ordination are appropriate for these days, but not funerals or weddings. though these frequently occur.
Sundays are all Class I Holy Days because they are festivals of our Lord on which we give thanks for the Resurrection of Christ. Therefore, every Saturday evening there is a First Evensong for the Sunday. On Saturday evenings, only the Collect for the next day should be used.
Class II days are all feasts of the apostles and Four Evangelists and some others. Sometimes there is a First Evensong. There are propers for the day, i.e. appropriate collects, psalms, lessons. The Second Order provides other propers, such as prefaces and blessings, sentences, etc. The Eucharist should be sung and the Creed and the Gloria are used. These also are appropriate for Baptism, Confirmation and Ordination. Weddings and funerals may be held on these days as well.
Class III days are the days for other saints and special days. There are usually no proper psalms and lessons at the Offices or the Eucharist, but a proper collect for the Holy Day may be used (but not in Advent or Lent). The Eucharist is not usually sung. The Gloria may be used (except in Advent and Lent), but not the Creed.
Local commemorations are observed exactly as for Class III.
These are days appointed by Church, civil or local authority. They may be recurring or only happen once. Recurring days of special observance include:
The quarterly Ember Days, days of abstinence and prayer for those in the sacred ministry, and for those exploring a vocation to the ordained ministry. They should be marked by abstinence, prayer (including the Litany for the Ember Days at the Eucharist and/or the Daily Office), perhaps by special offerings for theological students in the Diocese, region or parish/district. The colour is purple
The Rogation Days, observed by asking God’s blessings on the resources he has given us. These days include giving witness to our faith in the Rogation Procession (procession is purple, the Eucharist is white).
There are days celebrated by organisations within the Church such as the Mothers’ Union, the MBH and Companions, the SSF and TSSF, the CSC and Associates, and CSM and Associates, Girls Friendly Society, Melanesian Guild of Servers, Catechist and Lay Preachers Associations, Men’s Fellowships, Youth Groups and Sunday Schools, etc. These are to be coordinated with the rector and may be celebrated on free days or Class III days. They may be celebrated on Class II days (or as Class II days) if they are significant to the organisation and do not contravene the tables of precedence above, or overshadow the saint or event celebrated on that day.
Calendar of saint's days and holy days
These dates apply unless transferred according to the Rules of Precedence.
1 The Naming of our Lord Jesus Christ, I
6 The Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ, I
17 Saint Anthony of Egypt, Abbot, founder of monastic life, 356, III
18 Cecil Wilson, 3rd Missionary-Bishop of Melanesia, 1941
19 George Henry West, Missionary Priest, Reefs and Santa Cruz, 1937
21 Saint Agnes, Martyr at Rome, 304, III
24 Saint Timothy and Saint Titus, Bishops and Martyrs, 1st century III
25 Conversion of Saint Paul, II
26 Inauguration of the Church of the Province of Melanesia, 1975, II
27 Saint John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantiople, Preacher, 407, III
28 Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Theologian and Teacher, 1274, III
2 Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple, II
3 Saints and Martyrs of Europe, III
5 Saints and Martyrs of Japan, III
6 Walter Hubert Baddeley, 7th Missionary Bishop of Melanesia, 1960
8 George Giladi, Missionary Priest, Makira, 1954
13 Robert Paley Wilson, Missionary priest and teacher, 1947
14 John Richardson Selwyn, 2nd Missionary Bishop of Melanesia, 1898
17 Saints and Martyrs of Africa, III
18 Joseph Gilvelte, Missionary Priest, Makira, 1927
23 Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr of Smyrna, 156, III
24 Saint Matthias the Apostle, II
3 John and Charles Wesley, Priests, Evangelists and Hymn writers, 1791,1788
6 John Palmer, Missionary Priest, Banks,
7 Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity, Martyrs, 203, III
13 Richard Comins, Missionary Priest and Teacher, 1919
15 Henry Tagalad, Missionary Priest and Teacher, Mota Lava, 1901
17 Saint Patrick, Bishop and Evangelist of Ireland, c. 460, III
19 Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Foster Father of Jesus
25 The Annunciation of our Lord Jesus Christ, I
29 Edward Wogale, Missionary Deacon, Banks, 1883
5 Birthday of the Community of the Sisters of the Church, 1870
8 Saints and Martyrs of the Americas, III
11 George Augustus Selwyn, Founder of the Melanesian Mission, 1878, III
21 Hugo Hembala, 1st Priest of Isabel, 1931
24 Seven Martyrs of the Melanesian Brotherhood, Religious and Martyrs, II
25 Saint Mark THE EVANGELIST, II
1 Saint Philip and Saint James the Just, Apostles, II
2 Saint Athanasius of Alexander, Bishop and Teacher of the Faith, 373, III
3 Charles Bice, Missionary Priest, Ambae, 1922
6 Reuben Bula, Missionary Deacon and Teacher, Guadalcanal, 1916
18 Louis Tariliu, Teacher of the Faith, Pentecost, 1895
19 Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury and restorer of the religious life, 988, III
31 The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Saint Elizabeth, II
5 Mother Emily Ayckbowm, Religious, Founder of the Community of the Sisters of the Church, 1900, III
6 Ini Kopuria, Religious, Deacon, Founder of the Melanesian Brotherhood, 1945, III
11 Saint Barnabas the Apostle, II
19 Matthias Tarileo, First Priest of Pentecost, 1941
20 Father and Mrs. Sprott, Priest, Teacher, Isabel
21 Alfred Lombu, 1st Priest of Gela, 1919
22 Saint Alban, 1st Martyr of Britain c. 209, III
24 John the Baptist
28 Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon and martyr, c. 209, III
29 Saint Peter the Apostle, II
6 George Warren, Priest and Teacher, 1954
7 Independence Day of Solomon Islands, 1978
11 Saint Benedict of Nursia, Abbot and Father of Religious Life, 550, III
13 Mano Wadrokal, Missionary Deacon, 1894
17 Ellison Tergortok, Missionary Priest of Tikopia, 1956
20 Clement Marau, Missionary Priest of Ulawa, 1920
22 Saint Mary Magdalene, First Witness of the Resurrection, II
25 Saint James, First Apostle to Die for his Faith, II
26 Saint Anne, Mother of our Lady and Grandmother of our Lord.
2 Thomas Ulgau, Missionary Catechist of Pentecost, 1904
6 The Transfiguration of Jesus, I
7 Robert Pantutun, Missionary Deacon of Gaua, 1910
8 Saint Dominic, Priest, Friar and Preacher, 1221, III
10 Saint Laurence, Deacon and Martyr of Rome, 258, III
11 Saint Clare, Abbessof Assisi, 1253, III
12 George Sarawia, 1st Melanesian Priest, Mota, 1901
15 Saint Mary, MOTHER OF OUR LORD AND GOD, II
16 William Vaget, Catechist and Priest, Mere Lava, 1916
24 Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, II
26 Frank Bullen, missionary priest of Guadalcanal, 1909
27 Saint Monica, Faithful Christian Mother of Augustine, 387, III
28 Saint Augustine of Hippo, Bishop and Spiritual Writer, 430, III
2 Martyrs of Papua New Guinea, 1942, III
8 Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, II
11 Robert Henry Codrington, Missionary Priest and Teacher, 1922
13 John Manwaring Steward, 5th Missionary Bishop of Melanesia, 1933
14 The Holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, II
15 Walter Ivens, Missionary Priest, 1940
27 Joseph Atkin, Stephen Taroniara, and all martyrs of Melanesia, II
29 Saint Michael and All Angels, II
30 Saint Jerome, monk, Bible translator, Bethlehem, 420, III
2 Saints and Martyrs of Asia
4 Saint Francis of Assisi, Friar and Deacon, 1226, III
12 Percy T. Williams, Missionary Priest, 1933
15 Saint Teresa of Avila, Abbess 1587, III
16 Charles Christopher Godden, missionary priest and Martyr, Ambae, 1906, III
17 Saint Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, Martyr, c. 107, III
18 Saint Luke the Evangelist, II
24 Charles Sapimbuana, Teacher and Deacon, Gela, 1885, III
28 Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles, II
29 Charles Elliot Fox, Missionary Priest and Tasiu, 1977
1 All Saints, I
2 All Souls, II
8 All Saints of Melanesia, II
11 Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop, 397, III
17 Saint Hugh of Lincoln, Bishop, 1200, III
18 Saint Hilda, Abbess of Whitby, 680, III
23 Saint Clement, Bishop and Martyr of Rome, c. 100, III
30 Saint Andrew the Apostle, II
6 Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, c. 326, III
7 Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, 397,
III
9 Saint Juan Diego, The hermit.
21 Saint Thomas the Apostle, II
25 Christmas
26 Saint Stephen, Deacon and First Martyr, II
27 Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist, II
28 Holy Innocents, II
Moveable feasts and days
Easter is always the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the equinox on March 21, a date which is fixed according to an ancient calculation of the Church, and which does not always correspond to the astronomical equinox. This full moon may happen on any date between March 21 and April 18 inclusive. If the full moon falls on a Sunday, Easter Day is always the following Sunday, but Easter Day can never be earlier than March 21 or later than April 25.
The date of Easter governs the cycle of feasts dependent upon this, the most important feast. The number of Sundays after Epiphany and the number of Sundays after Pentecost depend on the date of Easter.
Ash Wednesday is always the fortieth weekday before Easter.
Palm Sunday is always the Sunday before Easter.
Holy Week is always the week before Easter.
Ascension Day is always the fortieth day after Easter.
Pentecost is always the fiftieth day after Easter.
Advent Sunday is always the Sunday closest to Saint Andrew’s Day.
The Rogation Days are always the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Ascension Day.
The Ember Days are the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after the First Sunday in Lent, the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, after Pentecost, the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after Holy Cross Day, and the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after December 13.
