Ecclesiastical New Year and Liturgical Year

Dearest Spiritual ‘Ohana,
The New Ecclesiastical Year and Liturgical Cycle of the year begins on September 1st, and is completed on August 31st. Below is an outline of what this looks like.

Orthodox Christian Ecclesiastical and Liturgical Year
Begins on September 1 (the Feast of the Indiction), marking the start of the Church year.
The center of the liturgical year is Pascha (Easter), the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ.
All major liturgical cycles ultimately revolve around Pascha.

The year consists of two interwoven cycles:
• Fixed Cycle: Feasts celebrated on the same calendar date each year.
• Paschal (Movable) Cycle: Feasts and seasons whose dates depend on Pascha.

Major Liturgical Seasons
• Nativity Fast (November 15 to December 24)
• Great Lent (preceded by pre-Lenten Sundays)
• Holy Week
• Pascha (Easter)
• Pentecostarion Period (Pascha to Pentecost)
• Apostles' Fast

•Dormition Fast (August 1 to August 14)

The Twelve Great Feasts
• Nativity of the Theotokos (September 8)
• Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14)
• Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
(November 21)
• Nativity of Christ (December 25)
• Theophany (January 6)
• Presentation of Christ (February 2)
• Annunciation (March 25)
• Palm Sunday
• Ascension
• Pentecost
• Transfiguration (August 6)

Dormition of the Theotokos (August 15) Weekly Liturgical Commemorations
• Sunday: Resurrection of Christ
• Monday: Holy Angels
• Tuesday: St. John the Baptist
• Wednesday: Cross and Passion of Christ
• Thursday: Apostles and St. Nicholas
• Friday: Cross and Passion of Christ
• Saturday: Theotokos and the Departed Faithful Key Characteristics
• Daily commemorations of saints, martyrs, and sacred events.
• Regular fasting periods and fasting days (especially Wednesdays and Fridays).
• Scripture readings are assigned for each day and feast.

Worship follows recurring liturgical books such as the Triodion, Pentecostarion, and Octoechos. This structure sanctifies the entire year by guiding Orthodox Christians through the life of Christ, the Mother of God, the saints, and the major events of salvation history.
Have a Blessed New Ecclesiastical New Year!

With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Alexander