The Church Year

Observance of the Liturgical Church Year

For traditional Christians (such as Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Episcopal, and Lutheran) the seasons of the Christian life are marked by an observance of the Christian year which begins in ADVENT (the four Sundays preceding the birth of Jesus Christ observed on Christmas Day, December 25). During the Advent season Christians are urged to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Christ child, He who is King, yet was born in a lowly manger. The color purple is used for the church hangings at St. Mark's, and no flowers are placed in the chancel as we are urged to repent and prepare the way of the Lord.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services are considered Festival occasions. All Christian festivals use white altar hangings, as well as special white linens for the Eucharistic celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. White is also used on the Sundays which follow Christmas before the observance of the coming of the Wise Men from the East to worship the babe, the celebration which is known as Epiphany. Epiphany is also a "fixed feast" which falls on the sixth of January, or "the twelfth night" following DEC. 25. The Sundays which follow the Epiphany are called the Epiphany season. During this period the scriptures reflect the wonderful ways God has revealed himself in history, and the chancel hangings are green to represent our growth in understanding.

Easter is known as a "moveable feast" and is always the first Sunday after the full moon that falls on or after March 21(thus it cannot occur before March 22 or after April 25). In 2007 Easter occurs on Sunday, April 8. The first day of Lent occurs six weeks earlier on Wednesday, February 21, 2007. In past years our children have sometimes "buried the alleluias" by digging a hole in the earth and placing "alleluias" within the box, to indicate that during the Lenten season we will "give up" our selfish joys in order to think about ways we can better serve God.

Episcopalians observe the Lenten season as a period of fasting and penitence as we consider the journey of Jesus Christ towards Jerusalem and His passion and death for the sins of the world. Lenten hangings are once again purple, and no flowers are placed in the chancel, as a symbol of our repentance. St. Mark's Holy Week observance begins on Palm Sunday (April 1, 2007) with the Blessing of the Palms and a special ecumenical service in front of the Botetourt Court House, following which members of the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist churches have returned to their individual churches. At St. Mark's we continue with a service reading the Passion Story. Holy Week includes a daily observance of prayer and worship marking the Lord's suffering and sacrifice.

EASTER is the most glorious of Christian festivals and at St. Mark's we observe it with the children "digging up the alleluias" (finding them "transformed into flowers and butterflies") and "flowering the cross" which transforms the simple wooden cross of Good Friday into a profusion of fresh and colorful blossoms, symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The season of Easter which immediately follows finds the chancel hangings all in white as the congregation continues to celebrate the fact that we are God's "resurrection people" transformed by the power of God's victory over the grave. The Bible readings or lectionary during this period include accounts of the resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ and the growth of the new Christian Church. These readings lead us to the observance of Christ's ascension and to Pentecost, or the festival which celebrates the birthday of the Christian Church, when the Holy Spirit manifested itself amongst all the believers. The Ascension of Our Lord (May 17, 2007) is observed forty days following Easter. The Pentecost Festival(Sunday, May 20, 2007) immediately follows with the observance of Trinity Sunday, (May 27) always following Pentecost.

The rest of the Church Year dates itself according to the number of Sundays following Pentecost. Throughout this season (sometimes known as the Ordinary Days) the chancel hangings are green to symbolize our growth in understanding that as Christians we must "love our neighbor as ourselves." These Sundays continue until the fifth week before the following Christmas. The final Sunday in the church year is known as Christ the King Sunday, a celebration of the Lordship of Jesus Christ marked with white hangings.

Major Holy Days and observances of special recognition of various saints are provided as indicated in our Book of Common Prayer, pages 15-33.

Contact St. Mark's.