Holy Days of Obligation

CCC #2177

The Sunday celebration of the Lord's Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church's life. "Sunday is the day on which the paschal mystery is celebrated in light of the apostolic tradition and is to be observed as the foremost holy day of obligation in the universal Church."

"Also to be observed are:

• the day of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
• the Epiphany,
• the Ascension of Christ,
• the feast of the Body and Blood of Christi,
• the feast of Mary the Mother of God,
• her Immaculate Conception,
• her Assumption,
• the feast of Saint Joseph,
• the feast of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul,
• and the feast of All Saints."

National Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States of America

Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.

date	feast	U.S. Calendar
January 1	Feast of Mary the Mother of God (Theotokos)	Abrogated on a Saturday or Monday.
January 6	Epiphany	Moved to Sunday after January 1.
March 19	Feast of Saint Joseph	Not a holyday of obligation.
40 days after Easter	Ascension of Christ	Moved to Sunday in some dioceses.
Thursday after Trinity Sunday	Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)	Sunday after Trinity Sunday
June 29	Feast of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul	Not a holyday of obligation.
August 15	Assumption of Our Lady	Abrogated on a Saturday or Monday.
November 1	All Saints	Abrogated on a Saturday or Monday.
December 8	Immaculate Conception of Our Lady
December 25	Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ