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Movable Feast Days and Memorials

Although many dates in the Catholic Calendar are specific, some Feast days, Memorials and other events are moveable….meaning, the dates are subject to change from year to year.  It can get confusing, so we have tried to list them here.  Interestingly, the word used to spelled with Moveable, but the “e” after the “v” has been dropped in popular vernacular.

Some movable feast days and memorials include the following:

First Sunday in Advent:  beginning of the Catholic year….the fourth Sunday before Christmas.

Easter Sunday: The Sunday after the first full moon after March 21.

Easter’s date also affects other holy days:

             Ash Wednesday:  46 days before Easter Sunday

             Palm Sunday: Sunday before Easter Sunday…..Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem

             Maundy Thursday:  Thursday before Good Friday..commemorates the Washing of the Feet and Last Supper (first Eucharist)

             Good Friday:  Crucifixion of Our Lord

             Holy Saturday: Saturday before Easter (Christ is in the tomb)

             Divine Mercy Sunday:  Sunday after Easter

             Pentecost: 50 days after Easter

             Mary, Mother of the Church:   Monday after Pentecost

Trinity Sunday:  First Sunday after Pentecost

            Feast of Corpus Christi: Sunday after the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, celebrating the Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist

And, there are some moveable public events for Catholics as well:

The annual Chartres pilgrimage:  The Saturday before Pentecost Sunday