Chapter I: The Church’s Year

_A._ EASTER, AND THE SACRED SEASONS CONNECTED WITH EASTER

1. EASTER, ITS NAME AND HISTORY 37

2. THE CONNECTION OF THE CHRISTIAN FESTIVAL WITH THE JEWISH 41

3. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH LED TO EASTER BEING A MOVABLE FEAST 46

4. THE FINAL SETTLEMENT OF THE DATE OF EASTER, AND THE
ATTEMPTS MADE TO COMMEMORATE THE DAY OF THE MONTH
ON WHICH CHRIST DIED 52

5. THE LITURGICAL CELEBRATION OF HOLY WEEK AND EASTER 59
PALM SUNDAY 66
MAUNDY THURSDAY 69
GOOD FRIDAY 73
HOLY SATURDAY 79
EASTER AND THE EASTER OCTAVE 84

6. THE PREPARATION FOR EASTER—QUADRAGESIMA AND THE FAST 88

7. THE SEASON OF PREPARATION AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE
CHURCH’S YEAR 100

8. THE TRANSFIGURATION 105

9. THE ASCENSION 106

10. WHITSUNDAY 109

11. TRINITY SUNDAY 116

12. CORPUS CHRISTI. THE FORTY HOURS’ PRAYER. THE FESTIVAL
OF THE SACRED HEART 119

_B._ CHRISTMAS AND THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

1. CHRISTMAS 127

2. ADVENT AND THE SUNDAYS UNTIL SEPTUAGESIMA 158

3. THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS. THE CIRCUMCISION. THE NEW YEAR 163

4. THE EPIPHANY 166

5. THE PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (CANDLEMAS) 173

6. THE SUNDAYS OF THE CHURCH’S YEAR AS FORMING CONNECTING
LINKS BETWEEN THE PRINCIPAL FEASTS 176

_C._ OTHER INCIDENTS IN THE CHURCH’S YEAR

1. THE EMBERTIDES 183

2. LITANIES OR ROGATIONS 189

3. THE DEDICATION OF A CHURCH AND THE FESTIVAL OF THE PATRON
SAINT 194