Holydays of Obligation
England and Wales
With effect from the 1st Sunday of Advent 2006, three of the present holydays of obligation are transferred to Sundays. This decision was made by the Bishops of England and Wales, and has been confirmed by the Holy See.
This transference of days of celebration is provided for in the General Norms for the Liturgical Year (1969) [pdf]. Similar decisions have already been made by Bishops' Conferences elsewhere, for example the Bishops Conferences of Ireland and Scotland, France and Italy, and the United States.
- Statement from the president of the Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor [pdf]
- Summary table of dates 2007–2010
- Calendar notes for 2008 [pdf]
- Draft Calendar notes for 2008 [pdf]
- Table of Moveable Feasts up to 2040
- Information about Holydays of Obligation and the Extraordinary Form
- Keeping these days holy – background information and suggestions for worthy keeping of Sundays and holydays [pdf]
- Keeping these days holy – deanery discussion material [pdf]
Summary Information
From the 1st Sunday of Advent 2006 the Holydays of Obligations for England and Wales changed. They are:
- Every Sunday
- Birth of the Lord (25 December)
- St Peter & St Paul (29 June)
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (15 August)
- All Saints (1 November)
The following celebrations have been transferred to the nearest Sunday: