Holy Days of Obligation

What are Holy Days of Obligation?

The Holy Days of Obligation are special days in the Catholic Church when the faithful are called to attend Mass in addition to Sundays. These feast days commemorate central mysteries of the faith and help us engage more deeply in the liturgical year.

Understanding these Holy Days (as well as properly observing them) is an essential cornerstone to the spiritual life of any Catholic.

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops , the Holy Days of Obligation for American Catholics are all Sundays as well as:

• January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
• Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the solemnity of the Ascension (unless moved to the 7th Sunday of Easter)
• August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• November 1, the solemnity of All Saints
• December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
• December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
  

Please note: When a Holy Day of Obligation falls on a Saturday or Monday, the obligation may be lifted in the United States. Always check with your local diocese for specific observance rules.

How do you observe a Holy Day of Obligation?

Most importantly, attend mass. Holy Days of Obligation are solemn feast days designated by the Church on which Catholics are obligated to attend Mass, unless excused for a serious reason such as illness or inability to attend.

The obligation to attend Mass on these days comes from the Church’s desire to help the faithful remain rooted in worship throughout the year — not only on Sundays, but during the most significant celebrations of the faith. Additionally, these feasts help invite is deeper into some of the Church's most profound mysteries.

Is Ash Wednesday a Holy Day of Obligation?

Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation.

While Catholics are not required to attend Mass on Ash Wednesday, it is one of the most widely observed days of the liturgical year and it is a powerful day to gather in unity with the Church. Although mass is not obligated on Ash Wednesday, the Church does have other requirements it asks of the faithful so as to properly observe this solemn day, these requirements include fasting and abstinence. Read more about Ash Wednesday, fasting, and abstinence here.

More information on Holy Days:

There are other Holy Days of Obligation, such as Easter, which are also celebrated, but because they fall on a Sunday they are already included in the usual Sunday obligation.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church , every Sunday is a Holy Day of Obligation and all Catholics are bound to participate in the Holy Mass, unless they are unable to for a serious reason.

Christians gathered each Sunday in the early days of the Church to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was the most important day of the week, the "first of all days, the first of all feasts". According to the Catechism, "The celebration of Sunday observes the moral commandment inscribed by nature in the human heart to render to God an outward, visible, public, and regular worship 'as a sign of his universal beneficence to all.' Sunday worship fulfills the moral command of the Old Covenant, taking up its rhythm and spirit in the weekly celebration of the Creator and Redeemer of his people." There are many additional reasons why Sundays are incredibly important in the life of every Christian, which you can read about in Part 3, Section 2 of the Catechism. Catholics who do not fulfill the Sunday Mass obligation commit grave sin which requires confession to enter back into a state of grace.