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LITURGICAL CALENDAR of the Celtic Orthodox Church

2017-2018

Cover page: Virgin in Majesty (inspired by the Romanesque Virgins of Auvergne) © Église Orthodoxe Celtique

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Introduction The calendar of the Celtic Orthodox Church begins on the first Sunday of November after All Saints Day (November 1st). This choice reconciles two traditions, one linked to the Syrian Orthodox Church tradition, which begins the liturgical year on the first Sunday of November (after All Saints Day), and the other according to an ancient Western non-Roman custom. It presents the Saints of the Universal Church as well as the principal Saints who have illuminated the history of the Celtic Orthodox Church. The Liturgical year opens before us as a permanent invitation to deepen our spirituality. The calendar answers, “present,” to the call to deepen our faith in Christ Jesus. The Sunday and feast-day readings are an inheritance of many centuries that belongs to our spiritual heritage. The liturgical cycle was developed over a period of time and set up by our Fathers under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is both a divine and human work, providentially proposed to our generation, in order that we may rediscover our spiritual roots in a world that is becoming more and more dechristianized. In this sense this calendar is prophetic for, drawing from ancient Western sources from before the Carolingian reforms, it is surprisingly suited to our times. This appears very clearly when we let ourselves be guided by this grouping together of feasts and readings that give rhythm to our daily life. We hope that the liturgical cycle, experienced day after day by biblical readings—and understood as being the Word of God—continuing to guide and situate its people in history, may be a source of grace and strength throughout this year. WE FOLLOW THE WESTERN TRADITION REGARDING LITURGICAL COLORS:

VIOLET: From the first day of Advent to Christmas Eve. From the Sunday before Ash Wednesday to the eve of Pascha (Easter). For the Liturgies of the deceased and of the sick.

BLUE: Feasts of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. WHITE: From Christmas to the Sunday of the Wedding of Cana inclusively. From Pascha (Easter) to the eve of Pentecost. On the feasts of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Mother of God, and non-martyr saints.

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RED:

Pentecost Sunday. The Exaltation of the Holy Cross. All Saints’ Day. At the Liturgies of the Holy Spirit. At the Liturgies of the Holy Martyrs.

GREEN: From the first Sunday to the last Sunday after Pentecost. From the Monday after the Sunday of the Wedding of Cana to the Saturday before the Sunday preceding Ash Wednesday.

BLACK: Good Friday. PRINCIPAL SOLEMN FEASTS Epiphany – January 6 Theophany: 1st Sunday after Epiphany – January 7 Presentation of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Temple – February 2 Ash Wednesday – February 14 Annunciation to the Most Holy Mother of God – March 25 Palm Sunday – March 25 Pascha (Easter) – April 20 Feasts of Rogations – May 7, 8 and 9 Ascension of Jesus Christ – May 10 Pentecost – May 20 Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ – August 6 Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God – August 15 Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God – September 8 Exaltation of the Most Holy Cross – September 14 Entrance into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God – November 21 Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – December 25 OTHER IMPORTANT FEASTS Chair of Saint Peter at Antioch – February 22 Symeon the New Theologian – March 12 Aristobulus – March 15 Patrick – March 17 Columba – June 9 Restoration and feast of all the Saints and Righteous of the C.O.C. – June 15

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This is the date of the consecration of Bishop Jules Ferrette by Metropolitan Boutros of the Syriac Orthodox Church; it took place in Damascus on June 2, 1866, according to the Julian calendar. Nativity of John the Baptist – June 24 Peter and Paul – June 29 Dormition of Saint Anne – July 26 Joseph of Arimathea – July 31 Tugdual of Saint-Dolay – August 11 Clare of Assisi – August 11 Feast of Creation on the eve of the solemnity of Saint Francis of Assisi Francis of Assisi – October 4 Clothilde of California – October 25 Gregory of Parumala – November 3 Columban – November 23 Nicholas of Feltham – December 31 For pastoral reasons, feasts with fixed dates may be celebrated on the nearest Sunday. A community meal where we share what each one has brought follows the Eucharistic Liturgy of Pascha, Pentecost, the feasts of Saint Tugdual, Saint Francis, Our Lady of the Sign, and Christmas Eve. PARISH FEAST DAS Notre-Dame-du-Signe Parish (Saint-Dolay – 56) Francis of Assisi: October 4 Notre-Dame-du-Signe, dedication of Sainte-Présence monastery cathedral: November 27 Sainte-Aure Parish (Paris – 75) Sainte Aure: October 4 Saint-Gwenolé Parish (Beuzec-cap-Sizun – 29) Saint Gwenolé: March 3 Saint-Tugdual Parish (Saint-Hilaire – 44) Saint Tugdual: August 11 Saint-Nicolas-de-Flüe et Saint-François-d'Assise Parish (Switzerland) Saint Nicolas de Flüe: march 31 Saint Francis of Assisi: October 4 Saint-Joseph-d’Arimathie Parish (Nîmes – 30) Saint Joseph Arimathea: July 31 Saint Gwenn Parish (Bridport – England)

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Sainte Gwenn: October 18 Saint Francis of Assisi Parish (Toms Brook – United States) Saint Francis of Assisi: October 4 Sainte Clotilde of California: October 25 Saint Joseph the Just Parish (Leesburg – United States) Saint Joseph: May 1st

Other Feasts for Great Britain David: March 1st George: April 23 Opening of Saint-Syméon and Saint-Tugdual School of Theology (Variable date, beginning of October) Reading for the Liturgy Eph 1:16-19; 3:19-21 Hb 13:7-9 Eph 3:20-21 Mt 5:13-20 Rules for fasting: ♦ Bread and water every ordinary Friday. ♦ Exaltation of the Cross: fast day, unless it falls on a Sunday ♦ Advent begins on November 12. The fast is partially lifted on Sunday. Everyone, except monks who observe a strict fast until the Feast of the Nativity, is allowed to eat animal sub-products (eggs or milk products). ♦ Great Lent begins on Ash Wednesday – strict fast (no animal products). ♦ Eucharistic: Morning Liturgy – begins at midnight. Liturgy during Lent (5:30 P.M.) – begins at noon. No fasting: From Christmas to the closing of the Theophany. From Pascha (Easter) to Pentecost. Lenten Services:

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The Eucharistic Liturgy replaces Vespers every Wednesday and Friday from Ash Wednesday to Pascha (Easter). The Prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syrian is recited at the end of every office during Lent from Ash Wednesday to Palm Saturday. They are omitted on Fridays after Vespers and Sundays until None inclusively. No Angelus is recited during Holy Week. The Prayer of Saint Ephrem (recited kneeling down)

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth,

faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity,

humility, patience and love to Your servant.

Yes, O Lord and King, grant that I may see my own errors

and not to judge my brother, O You who are blessed unto the Age of ages,

Amen.

(Performing a Metany each time we repeat the prayer 3 times:) O God, purify me a sinner!

How to use this calendar: Reading of Biblical References: For example: 2Co 3:4-15, 18; 4:1; 6:13-15a 2Co: refer to the Biblical abbreviations on page 7; The first number: the chapter; The following numbers: the verses; A dash between 2 Arabic numerals (4-15) means that verse 4 is read to verse 15 inclusively; A comma (15,18) means that we read verse 15 and then skip to verse 18; A semicolon means a change of chapter; [a] means the first part of the verse; [b] the second. For the example above we read: 2nd Epistle to Corinthians, chapter 3, verse 4 to verse 15 inclusively; then verse 18 to Chapter 4, verse 1; then to chapter 6, verse 13 until the first part of verse 15 inclusively. Psalms: We remind you that the Psalms in this calendar are numbered according to the Septuagint—that is, the Greek translation of the Old Testament.

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Alphabetical Abbreviations of Biblical Books Ac Acts of the Apostles Am Amos Ap Apocalypse or Revelation Ba Baruch Cant Canticle of Canticles or Song of Songs 1Ch 1 Chronicles 2Ch 2 Chronicles 1Co 1 Corinthians 2Co 2 Corinthians Col Colossians Dn Daniel Dt Deuteronomy Eccles Ecclesiastes or Qoheleth Eph Ephesians Es Esther Ex Exodus Ezk Ezekiel Ezr Ezra Gal Galatians Gn Genesis Hab Habakkuk Hb Hebrews Hg Haggai Ho Hosea Is Isaiah Jas James Jb Job Jdg Judges Jdt Judith Jer Jeremiah Jl Joel Jn John 1Jn 1 John 2Jn 2 John 3Jn 3 John Jon Jonah Jos Joshua Jude Jude 1Kg 1 Kings 2Kg 2 Kings La Lamentations Lk Luke

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Lv Leviticus 1Mc 1 Maccabees 2Mc 2 Maccabees Mi Micah Mk Mark Ml Malachi Mt Matthew Na Nahum Ne Nehemiah Nm Numbers Ob Obadiah 1P 1 Peter 2P 2 Peter Phil Philippians Phm Philemon Prov Proverbs Ps Psalms Rm Romans Ru Ruth Si Ecclesiasticus or Sirach 1Sm 1 Samuel 2Sm 2 Samuel Tb Tobit 1Th 1 Thessalonians 2Th 2 Thessalonians Ti Titus 1Tm 1 Timothy 2Tm 2 Timothy Wis Wisdom (of Solomon) Zec Zechariah Zep Zephaniah, Sophronias

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Beginning of the Liturgical Year 2017-2018 of the Celtic Orthodox Church

1st Sunday of Advent Beginning of the Advent Fast) Sunday, 12 November 2017 Renatus, Bishop of Angers (422) Cunibert, Bishop of Cologne (663) Cadwaladr, King of Wales, founder of Kilcummin (682) Cummian the Fada, abbot of Kilcummin Monastery (662) Machar, of Iona, came there with St Columba (6th c.) Sinell of Cleenish, disciple of St Finnian of Clonard (6th c.) ♦ Matins: Jn 20:1-18 ♦ Liturgy: Is 2:1-5; 4:2-3 Rm 11:25-31 Mt 3:1-10

Monday, 13 November 2017 John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople, Father of the Church (407) Chillien, monk in Ireland, hermit at Aubigny-en-Artois (7th c.) Caillin of Ferns, Bishop (7th c.) Denick of Caithness, Scotland, bishop (6th c.) Gredifael, Abbot of Whitland of Dyfed, in Wales (7th c.) ♦ Liturgy: Is 12:1-6 Hb 1:1-14 Mk 13:1-8

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Tuesday, 14 November 2017 Gregory Palamas, Bishop of Thessalonica, Father of the Church, defender of hesychasm and theosis (1360) Dyfrig, 1st Bishop-Abbot of Llandaff, hermit (c.550) Sidonius of Ireland, Abbot-Founder of Saint-Saëns-en-Bray (c.690) Modan of Scotland (possibly 8th c.) ♦ Liturgy: Is 10:17-21 Hb 2:1-4 Mk 13:9-13

Wednesday, 15 November 2017 Malo, Bishop-Abbot of Llancarfan, 1st Bishop of Aleth (630) Desiderius, Bishop of Cahors (655) Paisius Velichkovsky, monk in Moldavia (1794) Machell [Machudd] of Llanfechell, Anglesey (7th c.) ♦ Liturgy: Is 18:3-5 Hb 2:5-9 Mk 13:14-18

Thursday, 16 November 2017 Emilianus, monk at Saujon, hermit at Saint-Emilion (767) Afan, Bishop-Abbot at Llanafan (6th c.) Othmar, Abbot of Saint Gall (759) Alfrick, Archbishop of Canterbury faced with Norse invasions (1105) ♦ Liturgy: Is 24:7-16a Hb 2:10-18 Mk 13:19-23

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Friday, 17 November 2017 Hilda, nun at Chelles Monastery, Abbess-Foundress of Whitby (680) Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neocaesarea (270) Gregory, Bishop of Tours (595) ♦ Liturgy: Is 14:1-8 Hb 3:1-6 Mk 13:24-31

Saturday, 18 November 2017 Maudez, Prince of Ulster, Abbot of the Isle of Lavret (5th or 6th c.) Mummolus [Momble] of Ireland, 3rd Abbot of Lagny (690) Mawes, Welsh hermit and abbot, founded churches in Cornwall and Brittany (6th c.) Keverne of Cornwall (6th c.) Mabyn of Cornwall (6th c.) ♦ Liturgy: Is 16:1-10 Hb 3:7-19 Mk 13:32-37

2nd Sunday of Advent Sunday, 19 November 2017 Obadiah, Prophet in Samaria (9th c. BC) James, hermit at Sasseau (865) Ermenburga, foundress of convent of Minster, on Thanet Island (700) Ronan, 1st Abbot of Drumshallon (665) Medana, virgin of Galloway (8th c.) Egbert, established the archdiocese of York (766) ♦ Matins: Mt 28:1-15 ♦ Liturgy: Is 28:16-17; 29:17-24 2Co 4:1-6 Mt 11:2-15

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(Forefeast of the Entry in the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God) Monday, 20 November 2017 Autbodus of Ireland, hermit near Laon (690) Maxentia, princess of Ireland, virgin and martyr (death unknown) Gregory the Decapolite, monk at Constantinople (8th – 9th c.) Colman, born at Dalriada, Argyllshire, Wales (death unknown) Edmund, King of Norfolk, martyr (870) Humbert of East Anglia, martyr (870) Eval, Bishop of Cornwall (6th c.) ♦ Liturgy: Is 24:16b-23 Hb 4:1-13 Lk 17:20-24 ♦ Vespers: Ps 44 and 45 ♦ 1st Nocturn: Ex 40:1-5, 9-16, 34-35

Tuesday, 21 November 2017

Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God (1st c.) Columbanus the Younger, monk of Bangor-on-Dee (615) Wendelin, monk of Luxeuil, 1st Abbot of Lèse (650) Digain, Prince of Cornwall, confessor (5th c.) ♦ Liturgy: Is 27:1-3, 12-13 ♦ Entrance in the Temple: ♦ 3rd Nocturn: 1Kg 7:51 – 8:1, 3-7, 9-11

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♦ Matins: Lk 1:39-49, 56 ♦ Liturgy: Ez 43:27 – 44:4 Hb 9:1-7 Lk 10:38-42; 11:27-28

Wednesday, 22 November 2017 Philemon, Apphia, Archippus and Onesimus, disciples (1st c.) Cecilia, Valerian and Tiburtius, martyrs at Rome (230) ♦ Liturgy: Is 25:1-9 Hb 5:1-6 Lk 10:21-24

Thursday, 23 November 2017 Columbanus of Ireland, Abbot-Founder of Luxeuil and Bobbio (615) Clement I, Bishop of Rome, martyr, Father of the Church (101) Trudo (or Trond), monk at Stavelot-Malmedy Abbot-Founder de Saint-Trond (695) Deiniol the Younger, Abbot of Bangor, in Wales (621) ♦ Liturgy: Is 40:21-31 Hb 5:7-10 Mt 15:29-37 Columban: ♦ Vespers: Ps 15 and 18 ♦ Liturgy: Wis 18:1a, 3-4 Col 3:12-17 Jn 15:12-17

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Friday, 24 November 2017 Leopardinus, Abbot of Saint Symphorian de Vivaris (7th c.) Pourçain, Abbot de Miranda (527) Walata Petros of Ethiopia (1643-1694) Colman, 1st Bishop of Cloyne (600) Eanfleda, wife of King Oswy of Northumbria (700) Paulinus of Wales (5th c.) ♦ Liturgy: Is 29:9-24 Hb 5:11-14 Mt 7:21, 24-27

Saturday, 25 November 2017 Catherine, martyr at Alexandria (310) Mercurius, martyr at Caesarea of Cappadocia (250) Alnoth, hermit and martyr at Stowe (700) Teilo, Abbot-Bishop of Llandaff (560) ♦ Liturgy: Is 5:1-7 Hb 6:1-8 Mt 9:27-31

3rd Sunday of Advent (Forefeast of Our Lady of the Sign) Sunday, 26 November 2017 Romphaire, of Northumbria, Bishop of Coutances (728) Basolus (also called Basle), Founder of Verzy (620) Egelwine, Prince of Wessex, hermit at Athelney, Somersetshire, England (7th c.) ♦ Matins: Mk 16:1-8 ♦ Liturgy: Is 62:10-12; 45:8 Rm 8:3-6 Jn 1:15-28 ♦ Vespers: Ps 44 and 121 ♦ 1st Nocturn: Akathist Hymn

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Monday, 27 November 2017

Gregory the Sinaite, monk of Mount Sinai (1260-1346) Acharius, monk of Luxeuil, Bishop of Tournai and Noyon (640) Fergus of Glamis, bishop and martyr in Scotland (c. 730) Virgilius, from Ireland, Bishop of Salzburg (784) Congar, Welsh abbot and Bishop of Somerset (520) Edwold, hermit of Cerne, Dorset (9th c.) ♦ Liturgy: Is 33:15-22 Hb 6:9-15 Lk 5:17-26 Our Lady of the Sign: ♦ 3rd Nocturn: 1Kg 8:22-23, 27-30 Si 24:22-31 ♦ Liturgy: Is 7:10-14 Ap 12:1-6 Lk 1:39-49

Tuesday, 28 November 2017

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Fionnchu, 2nd Abbot of Bangor (6th c.) Juthwara, martyr at Lanteglos-by-Camelford (6th c.) Herman, apostle of Alaska (1836) ♦ Liturgy: Is 38:10-20 Hb 6:15-20 Mt 9:35 – 10:1, 5b-8

Wednesday, 29 November 2017 Jacob of Sarugh, Bishop of Batnan, in Syria (521) Saturninus, 1st Bishop of Toulouse, martyr (257) Brendan the Younger, Abbot of Birr (573) Sadwen, confessor in Wales (6th c.) Ethewin [Egelwine] of Athelney, Somersetshire, England (7th c.) ♦ Liturgy: Is 63:7-16 Hb 7:1-3 Jn 1:35-42

Thursday, 30 November 2017 Andrew the First Called, Apostle at Patras, martyr (62) Tugdual, Wales and Brittany, 1st Bishop of Treher (Treguier) (564) Frumentius, 1st Bishop of Aksum, Abyssinia (380) Crida0. of Cornwall, mother of St Boethius (7th c.) ♦ Liturgy: Is 51:1-3 Hb 7:4-10 Mt 4:12-22 Andrew: ♦ Vespers: Ps 18 ♦ Liturgy: Wis 9:17; 10:4-6; 14:5-7; 16:8 Gal 2:19-20; 6:14, 17-18 Mt 16:24-25