Saints and Holy Days
Saints and Holy Days
This page lists the principal feasts, fasts, and commemorations of the Church of England and the American Episcopal Church, according to the **1662 Book of Common Prayer** (England) and the **1928 Book of Common Prayer** (United States).
Principal Feasts
- Christmas Day (December 25)
- The Circumcision of Christ (January 1) – 1662 only
- The Epiphany (January 6)
- Easter Day (date varies)
- Ascension Day (40 days after Easter)
- Whitsunday / Pentecost (50 days after Easter)
- Trinity Sunday (Sunday after Pentecost)
- All Saints’ Day (November 1)
Other Holy Days (1662 BCP)
- St. Stephen (December 26)
- St. John the Evangelist (December 27)
- The Holy Innocents (December 28)
- The Conversion of St. Paul (January 25)
- The Purification of St. Mary the Virgin (February 2)
- St. Matthias the Apostle (February 24)
- The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (March 25)
- St. Mark the Evangelist (April 25)
- St. Philip and St. James the Apostles (May 1)
- St. Barnabas the Apostle (June 11)
- St. John the Baptist (June 24)
- St. Peter the Apostle (June 29)
- St. James the Apostle (July 25)
- St. Bartholomew the Apostle (August 24)
- St. Matthew the Apostle (September 21)
- St. Michael and All Angels (September 29)
- St. Luke the Evangelist (October 18)
- St. Simon and St. Jude the Apostles (October 28)
- St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30)
- St. Thomas the Apostle (December 21)
Holy Days (1928 BCP Additions)
The 1928 American BCP retains nearly all of the above, with slight alterations, and emphasizes the following:
- The Transfiguration of Christ (August 6) – added in 1892 BCP and retained in 1928
- Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) – U.S. observance
- Independence Day (July 4) – U.S. observance
Fasting Days
- Ash Wednesday
- Good Friday
- All the Fridays in the year, except Christmas, if it fall on a Friday
- The Forty Days of Lent
- The Ember Days (after St. Lucy, after the First Sunday in Lent, after Whitsunday, after Holy Cross Day)
- The Rogation Days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday before Ascension Day)
Vigils
Traditionally, the day before the following feasts was kept as a fast or vigil:
- Nativity of our Lord
- Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Easter Day
- Ascension Day
- Pentecost
- St. John the Baptist
- St. Peter the Apostle
- St. James the Apostle
- St. Bartholomew the Apostle
- St. Matthew the Apostle
- St. Simon and St. Jude the Apostles
- St. Andrew the Apostle
- St. Thomas the Apostle
- All Saints
Notes
- The 1662 BCP reflects the English Reformation settlement and emphasizes Apostolic saints and major Marian feasts.
- The 1928 American BCP adapts this pattern for the Episcopal Church, adding national observances and the Feast of the Transfiguration.