05/01/2026
MOVABLE FEASTS
The tradition of proclaiming the date of Easter and the other movable feasts on the Solemnity of the Epiphany began at a time when calendars were not easily available. It was important to announce the date of Easter in advance, because many celebrations in the liturgical year—such as the Sundays after Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, and the Sundays following Pentecost—are determined in relation to Easter.
Although modern calendars now provide the dates of Easter and the other feasts for many years ahead, the Epiphany proclamation remains meaningful. It reminds the faithful of the central place of the Lord’s resurrection in the liturgical year and of the great mysteries of faith celebrated throughout the Church’s yearly cycle.
Each year, the proper dates for Ash Wednesday, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, and the First Sunday of Advent are inserted into the proclamation. These dates are found in the table included in the introductory documents of the Roman Missal.
