The Christian year, made plain UPDATED SATURDAY, AUGUST 22

What Christians do,
and why.

A living guide to the Christian calendar and every significant Christian occasion. What today is. What happens. What it means. What to give and say.

Open the calendar Browse by occasion

The Christian year, today

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
Next in the Christian year

All Saints' Day

Nov 1 · 2026 · in 71 days

Coming up
Christ the King Nov 22 · 2026
First Sunday of Advent Nov 29 · 2026
Christmas Eve Dec 24 · 2026
Christmas Day Dec 25 · 2026
This season

Ordinary Time

The longest stretch of the liturgical year: the weeks between the Christmas season and Lent, and between Pentecost and Advent.

Next: First Sunday of Advent, Nov 29 (in 99 days).

Open the full calendar See 2026

Christian occasions

BY CATEGORY
Initiation
1ST CENTURY AD Naming Christian naming, saints' names, name day traditions. 1ST CENTURY AD Baptism Infant and believer’s baptism across traditions. 13TH CENTURY AD First Communion Catholic; Lutheran and Anglican parallels. 4TH CENTURY AD Confirmation Sacramental and Protestant variants. 17TH CENTURY AD Child Dedication The Evangelical infant ceremony.
Life passages
1ST CENTURY AD Wedding Catholic, Evangelical, Mainline, Orthodox. MODERN Anniversary Wedding anniversaries with faith framing. 1ST CENTURY AD Funeral Christian death, burial, and remembrance.
Seasonal
4TH CENTURY AD Christmas From Advent through Epiphany. 1ST CENTURY AD Easter Holy Week, the Vigil, and Pascha.
Vocation & cultural
1ST CENTURY AD Ordination Deacons, priests, pastors, bishops. 20TH CENTURY AD Quinceañera The US Hispanic Catholic 15th birthday Mass.
Editorial standard

A baptism in a Baptist church is not a baptism in a Catholic church. A funeral Mass is not a celebration of life service. This site explains what is happening, what it means, and what is expected of you, without telling you what to believe.