Differences between Feasts, Memorias, Solemnities, Holy Days?

[SianTeresa]

Hi. Please excuse my ignorance, but I wondered if you could give me clarity on the meaning of the following:

Feast, Memoria, Solemnity, Holy Day of Obligation

I am particularly confused since my church doesn’t seem to advertise Holy Days. What level of observance is required for each and what are the key differences? Is it permissable to observe a fast on any of the above?

Thank you,
Sian

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Hi. Please excuse my ignorance, but I wondered if you could give me clarity on the meaning of the following:

Feast, Memoria, Solemnity, Holy Day of Obligation

I am particularly confused since my church doesn’t seem to advertise Holy Days. What level of observance is required for each and what are the key differences? Is it permissable to observe a fast on any of the above?

Thank you,
Sian

You may observe a fast any time you wish. The difference is rank. HDO requires our attendance at Mass.

 

[japhy]

Feast, Memoria, Solemnity, Holy Day of Obligation

I am particularly confused since my church doesn’t seem to advertise Holy Days. What level of observance is required for each and what are the key differences?

Solemnities (which include all Sundays) are greater than Feasts which are greater than Memorials which are greater than Ferials (all other weekdays).

By “greater than”, I mean a Solemnity on a particular day overrides a Feast (or Memorial or Ferial) on that same day. I believe all Holy Days of Obligation are, by their very nature, Solemnities (although some countries might have national Feast days that are obligatory).

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Feast, Memoria, Solemnity, Holy Day of Obligation

What level of observance is required for each and what are the key differences?

It’s a ranking of the relative importance of different liturgical days. “If several celebrations fall on the same day, the one that holds the higher rank … is observed.” It goes approximately like this, from highest to lowest ranking (there is actually more detail, I have simplified a little):

• Christmas; Epiphany; Ascension; Pentecost; Sundays of Advent, Lent, Easter
• Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, Octave of Easter
• Solemnity
• Feast of the Lord
• Sunday of Christmas season or ordinary time
• Other feasts
• Obligatory Memorial
• Optional Memorial
• Weekdays

So, for example, if a solemnity falls on a Sunday in ordinary time, the solemnity would be celebrated. If a feast falls on a Sunday in Ordinary time, the Ordinary Sunday would be celebrated (unless it is a Feast of Our Lord).

Solemnities are important enough that, if they coincide with a higher-ranking day that takes precedence, the solemnity is usually transferred to the closest available day.

A holy day of obligation is one when we are required to attend Mass. Most of them are solemnities, but not all solemnities are holy days of obligation.