Christian writers of the 2nd century came to view Sunday, “the Lord’s day,” as a symbol of Christianity in distinction from Judaism. Most of the churches decided to observe the Lord’s Passover (Easter) always on a Sunday, after the Jewish feast was over. In addition, local churches began to celebrate the anniversaries of the deaths of their martyrs, called “birthdays in eternity,” for these also were regarded as witnesses to the resurrection triumph of Christ in his followers. The weekly Sunday and the annual Paschal (Passover) observance of 50 days from Easter to Pentecost (the Jewish harvest festival that also commemorated the revelation of the Law to Moses) were thus the principal framework of the church year until the 4th century—reminders of the new age to be brought by Christ at his coming again in glory at the end of time, when the true believers would enter their inheritance of perpetual joy and feasting with their Redeemer and Lord.

The establishment of Christianity as a state religion, following the conversion of the emperor Constantine (312 CE), brought new developments. The Paschal season was matched by a longer season of preparation (Lent) for the many new candidates for baptism at the Easter ceremonies and for the discipline and penance of those who for grievous sins had been cut off from the communion of the church.

A new focus of celebration, to commemorate the birth of Christ, the world Redeemer, was instituted at ancient winter solstices (December 25 and January 6 in the Northern Hemisphere) to rival the pagan feasts in honour of the birth of a new age brought by the “Unconquered Sun.” Later the Western churches created a preparatory season for the Christmas festival, known as Advent. Many new days were gradually added to the roster of martyr anniversaries to commemorate distinguished leaders, the dedication of buildings and shrines in honour of the saints, and the transferal of their relics.

The major church calendars

Unlike the cycle of feasts and fasts of the Jewish Law, the Christian year has never been based upon a divine revelation. It is rather a tradition that is always subject to change by ecclesiastical law. Each self-governing church maintains the right to order the church year according to pastoral needs of edification. The pattern of the year therefore varies in the several churches of the East and of the West. The subtle adjustments of a lunar-month calendar, with its movable date of Easter, and a solar calendar of fixed dates require many rules to avoid conflict of observances.

To be continued…