an introduction to the Christian year

1. The Seasons of the
Christian Year
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from images.google.com
or office.com

2. The Christian year begins with the season of Advent.
The exact day of the first day of Advent
changes with each year.
The first Sunday of Advent is four weeks before
Christmas.
This year, Advent began on December 2, 2012.
The colors of advent are royal blue or purple.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013

3. Contrary to the department
stores who bring out
Christmas decor in
September, the Christian
Christmas season begins on
December 25.
Also contrary to popular
culture,
the Christian color for
Christmas is white,
not red or green. © Kelly Diehl Yates 2013

4. The days from December 25 to January 6
are known as the
12 Days of Christmas.
These dates are the same every year.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

5. The season of Epiphany begins January 6 with
the celebration of the visit of the Wise Men.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
Green is the color of Epiphany images from microsoft office

6. In some countries and cultures,
gift exchanges take place on this date.
It is known as the Twelfth day of Christmas.
Epiphany ends with Ash Wednesday.
This year the season of Epiphany is
January 6- February 12, 2012
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from images.google.com
or office.com

7. Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras
February 12, 2013
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

8. Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras
February 12, 2013
The colors of
Mardi Gras And purple for Lent
are green for
Epiphany
As sort of a
bridge between
the two seasons
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

9. Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras
Carnival is Latin for
removal of meat February 12, 2013
Mardi Gras is French for Fat
Tuesday.
It is one last hurrah before
the fasting and repentance of
Lent.
Mardi Gras is one of the
main reasons why
Protestants stopped
observing the Christian
Year. © Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

10. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the
Season of Lent, this year Feb. 13,
The oldest Christian season according to
Christian tradition, dating back to the fourth
century A.D.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

11. Ash Wednesday begins with a service about Repentance
and commitment.
Sometimes Christians are invited to ‘give up something,’
which is a form of fasting.
Ashes made from the last year’s Palm branches from Palm
Sunday are burnt, mixed with oil and placed in the sign of a
cross on peoples’ foreheads.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from images.google.com
or office.com

12. Thus begins, Lent, the oldest
Christian season.
It began as a 40 day preparation
for candidates who would be
baptized on Easter.
Lent’s color is purple.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from images.google.com
or office.com

13. The dates of Lent change depending on the date of Easter each year.
This year Lent is February 13 to March 30
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

14. Passion Week or Holy week
Passion is from the Latin, paschal, which means
suffering.
The last week of Lent.
This year March 24-31, 2013

15. Passion Week or Holy week
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday.
Remembering Jesus’ entry
into Jerusalem on the back
of a donkey.
The people waved Palm branches like they would
for a king.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

16. Maundy Thursday (Thursday of Holy Week)
From the Latin maundy, “Commandment.”
Jesus sat at the Last Supper with the disciples and said,
“A New Commandment I give you that you love one
another.”
On this day we remember that Last Supper.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

17. Maundy Thursday
A Maundy Thursday service usually celebrates the
Lord’s Supper and foot washing.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

18. Good Friday will take
place March 28 this
year.
This is the
remembrance of the
crucifixion of Jesus.
The color is black for
darkness.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

19. Church observances of
Holy Week remind us
that we are in the
crowd that cried
Hosanna on Holy
Week.
And we are in the same
crowd that cried
Crucify Him five days
later. © Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

20. Easter Sunday
The celebration of the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ
March 30, 2013
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

21. Easter Sunday
Easter’s colors are gold and white.
It is the highest holiest day of the year.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

22. Easter Sunday
Why does the date of Easter change
every year?
It's complicated
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

23. The Season of Easter
The 50 days following
Easter until
Pentecost Sunday.
March 31-May 18, 2012
The color is white.
Also called ‘Eastertide’
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

24. Pentecost
50 days after Easter.
This year
May 19, 2013.
Color is Red.
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

25. Pentecost
Celebrates
the
coming of
the Holy
Spirit
And the
© Kelly Diehl Yates 2013
images from microsoft office

26. Ordinary Time
Pentecost to
Advent
Color is Green.
Emphasis on Christian Growth Yates 2013
© Kelly Diehl
images from microsoft office