is today a day of obligation?

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Monica4316

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I know many Eastern Christians say this isn’t an Eastern concept, but I did read in Eastern Canon Law that we are supposed to go to Divine Liturgy on certain feasts… The Canon 880 lists them. I was wondering is that only for those days or the 12 Great Feasts too? Like today?? Sadly I missed Mass today 😦 I didn’t realise the feast was today. thank you!
 
If you belong to the Latin Rite (Roman Catholic) then today is not a Holy Day of Obligation.
 
Monica4316 said:
I know many Eastern Christians say this isn’t an Eastern concept, but I did read in Eastern Canon Law that we are supposed to go to Divine Liturgy on certain feasts… The Canon 880 lists them. I was wondering is that only for those days or the 12 Great Feasts too? Like today?? Sadly I missed Mass today 😦 I didn’t realise the feast was today. thank you!
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I know it isn’t for Roman rite Catholics, but I believe it is for Byzantine rite Catholics. However, the day is young and you would be able to fulfill the obligation at a Liturgy or Mass of any rite. For example, you can go to. 5 pm Roman rite Vigil Mass and that would meet your obligation for the Feast, even if the Mass isn’t being celebrated for the feast. As long as it is on the same day you are good
 
Monica4316 said:
I know many Eastern Christians say this isn’t an Eastern concept, but I did read in Eastern Canon Law that we are supposed to go to Divine Liturgy on certain feasts… The Canon 880 lists them. I was wondering is that only for those days or the 12 Great Feasts too? Like today?? Sadly I missed Mass today 😦 I didn’t realise the feast was today. thank you!
Click to expand...
Not for Byzantine Catholics (USA). This is from the Byzantine USA particular laws:

Canon 198
The eparchial bishop is to celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the people on all Sundays and the days of precept. The days of precept are:

January 6 - Theophany of our Lord
Ascension of Lord
June 29 - Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
August 15 - Dormition of the Mother of God
December 25 - Nativity of our Lord

The Ukrainian Catholic Church particular law (Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk April 7, 2015) is different:

Can. 114. (CCEO, c. 880 § 2)
§ 1. The faithful are obliged to celebrate all Sundays, the patronal feast of their own parish, and the following twelve feasts which are:

1. The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos;
2. The Universal Exaltation of the Honourable and Life-giving Cross;
3. The Entrance into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos;
4. The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
5. The Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
6. The Encounter of Our Lord;
7. The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos;
8. The Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem;
9. The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
10. The Descent of the Holy Spirit;
11. The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
12. The Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos;

§ 2. On these days, the faithful are obliged to participate in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and abstain from heavy physical work.

§ 3. The faithful are encouraged to participate in liturgical celebrations on the following feasts of the church year:
  1. The Repose of Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian;
  2. The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos;
  3. The Holy Great-martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-yielder;
  4. The Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Michael and the other incorporeal powers;
  5. The Holy Hieromartyr Josaphat, Archbishop of Polotsk;
  6. St. Nicholas archbishop of Myra, wonder-worker;
  7. The Immaculate Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by St Anne;
  8. The Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos,
  9. The Holy Apostle Archdeacon and Protomartyr Stephen;
  10. The Circumcision of Our Lord Jesus Christ and St. Basil the Great Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia;
  11. The Martyrs of Pratulyn;
  12. The Three Hierarchs;
  13. Blessed Venerable Josaphata;
  14. The Holy great-martyr George the Victorious;
  15. Monday of the Holy Spirit;
  16. The Most Holy Eucharist – The solemn adoration of the Mystery of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
  17. The Nativity of John the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptiser of the Lord;
  18. Saints Peter and Paul the greatest of the Apostles;
  19. Blessed hieromartyr Nicholas, those who suffered with him and Blessed Omelian;
  20. The Holy Grand Prince Volodymyr, equal to the Apostles;
  21. The Commemoration of the consecration of the Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv;
  22. The Holy Prophet Elias;
  23. The Severing of the Honourable Head of St. John the Baptist…
The Russian Byzantine Catholic Church, parish in San Francisco, has a page showing the Menion Feasts:

byzantinecatholic.org/feastsandfasts/menaionfeast1.php
 
AnthonyJ said:
I know it isn’t for Roman rite Catholics, but I believe it is for Byzantine rite Catholics. However, the day is young and you would be able to fulfill the obligation at a Liturgy or Mass of any rite. For example, you can go to. 5 pm Roman rite Vigil Mass and that would meet your obligation for the Feast, even if the Mass isn’t being celebrated for the feast. As long as it is on the same day you are good
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I know but I’m having a friend coming over for dinner and if its a day of obligation i would have to cancel… That’s why I’m trying to figure out
 
Vico said:
Not for Byzantine Catholics (USA). This is from the Byzantine USA particular laws:

Canon 198
The eparchial bishop is to celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the people on all Sundays and the days of precept. The days of precept are:

January 6 - Theophany of our Lord
Ascension of Lord
June 29 - Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
August 15 - Dormition of the Mother of God
December 25 - Nativity of our Lord

The Ukrainian Catholic Church particular law (Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk April 7, 2015) is different:

Can. 114. (CCEO, c. 880 § 2)
§ 1. The faithful are obliged to celebrate all Sundays, the patronal feast of their own parish, and the following twelve feasts which are:

1. The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos;
2. The Universal Exaltation of the Honourable and Life-giving Cross;
3. The Entrance into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos;
4. The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
5. The Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
6. The Encounter of Our Lord;
7. The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos;
8. The Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem;
9. The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
10. The Descent of the Holy Spirit;
11. The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
12. The Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos;

§ 2. On these days, the faithful are obliged to participate in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and abstain from heavy physical work.

§ 3. The faithful are encouraged to participate in liturgical celebrations on the following feasts of the church year:
  1. The Repose of Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian;
  2. The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos;
  3. The Holy Great-martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-yielder;
  4. The Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Michael and the other incorporeal powers;
  5. The Holy Hieromartyr Josaphat, Archbishop of Polotsk;
  6. St. Nicholas archbishop of Myra, wonder-worker;
  7. The Immaculate Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by St Anne;
  8. The Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos,
  9. The Holy Apostle Archdeacon and Protomartyr Stephen;
  10. The Circumcision of Our Lord Jesus Christ and St. Basil the Great Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia;
  11. The Martyrs of Pratulyn;
  12. The Three Hierarchs;
  13. Blessed Venerable Josaphata;
  14. The Holy great-martyr George the Victorious;
  15. Monday of the Holy Spirit;
  16. The Most Holy Eucharist – The solemn adoration of the Mystery of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
  17. The Nativity of John the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptiser of the Lord;
  18. Saints Peter and Paul the greatest of the Apostles;
  19. Blessed hieromartyr Nicholas, those who suffered with him and Blessed Omelian;
  20. The Holy Grand Prince Volodymyr, equal to the Apostles;
  21. The Commemoration of the consecration of the Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv;
  22. The Holy Prophet Elias;
  23. The Severing of the Honourable Head of St. John the Baptist…
The Russian Byzantine Catholic Church, parish in San Francisco, has a page showing the Menion Feasts:

byzantinecatholic.org/feastsandfasts/menaionfeast1.php
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Thank you for the info, I don’t understand cause I’m not in the US and I’m not Ukrainian. I’m Russian Catholic living in Canada… What are Mention feasts? Does that mean they are obligatory?
 
I think what I’ll do is I’ll just move my dinner to later today and go to 4 30 Mass 🙂 just to be safe!!
 
Monica4316 said:
Thank you for the info, I don’t understand cause I’m not in the US and I’m not Ukrainian. I’m Russian Catholic living in Canada… What are Mention feasts? Does that mean they are obligatory?
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You are welcome. The Menaion is a set of books, one per month, with the texts for the feasts in them. There is also a Festal Menaion which has the twelve great feasts of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Theotokos.

I have never seen any Russian Catholic particular law. If there is none, then it falls to the list in the CCEO which is CCEO 880:
3. Holy days of obligation common to all the Eastern Churches, beyond Sundays, are
  • the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ,
  • the Epiphany [Theophany],
  • the Ascension,
  • the Dormition of the Holy Mary Mother of God and
  • the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
except for the particular law of a Church sui iuris approved by the Apostolic See which suppresses a holy days of obligation or transfers them to a Sunday.

The Ukrainian Catholic days of obligation were revised in 2015, to the list given in the previous post, up from six (in addition to Sundays) from before that:
  • Nativity of Our Lord - December 25
  • Theophany of Our Lord - January 6 (Blessing of Water)
  • Annunciation - March 25
  • The Ascension of Our Lord (Thursday)
  • Apostles Peter and Paul - June 29
  • Dormition of the Mother of God - August 15 (Blessing of Flowers)
To which was added from tradition:
  • The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos
  • The Universal Exaltation of the Honourable and Life-giving Cross
  • The Entrance into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos
  • The Encounter of Our Lord
  • The Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem
  • The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ
(Note that The Descent of the Holy Spirit is a Sunday so is already included)

Some could be suppressed locally, so one has to check.
 
Catholic1954 said:
If you belong to the Latin Rite (Roman Catholic) then today is not a Holy Day of Obligation.
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This is good to know and thank you for answering this question. 👍

I am going to Confession this afternoon so I will visit Jesus and take time to pray.
 
Monica4316 said:
I think what I’ll do is I’ll just move my dinner to later today and go to 4 30 Mass 🙂 just to be safe!!
Click to expand...
You can never go wrong choosing to go to Mass, but just a reminder:

Canon 883
  1. **The Christian faithful who are outside the territorial boundaries of their own Church sui iuris can adopt fully for themselves the feast days and days of penance which are in force where they are staying. **
 
babochka said:
You can never go wrong choosing to go to Mass, but just a reminder:

Canon 883
  1. **The Christian faithful who are outside the territorial boundaries of their own Church sui iuris can adopt fully for themselves the feast days and days of penance which are in force where they are staying. **
Click to expand...
That’s true and I was told that too 🙂 I was a little confused its referring to days of obligation too not just liturgical calendar? I do follow the Latin way with my parish which is Latin rite, but I try to still integrate the Eastern way whenever possible with days of obligation and fasts because as I understand that is encouraged 🙂 even though not obligatory. But so days of obligation apply to this rule exception too?
 
Based on Eastern Canon 883 ad the fact that you are a Russian Catholic (which means you are under your local Canadian Latin bishop), I would think you would be safe to follow simply the days of obligation of Latin Catholics in Canada…namely Christmas and Mary, Mother of God (Jan 1)…but it is always good for you to observe the great feasts of the Byzantine tradition if you are able to.
 
Monica4316 said:
That’s true and I was told that too 🙂 I was a little confused its referring to days of obligation too not just liturgical calendar? I do follow the Latin way with my parish which is Latin rite, but I try to still integrate the Eastern way whenever possible with days of obligation and fasts because as I understand that is encouraged 🙂 even though not obligatory. But so days of obligation apply to this rule exception too?
Click to expand...
CCEO

Canon 883
  1. The Christian faithful who are outside the territorial boundaries of their own Church sui iuris can adopt fully for themselves the feast days and days of penance which are in force where they are staying.
  2. In families in which the parents are enrolled in different Churches sui iuris, it is permitted to observe the norms of one or the other Church, in regard to feast days and days of penance.
 
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