General Roman Calendar of 1960

This article lists the feast days of the General Roman Calendar as approved on 25 July 1960 by Pope John XXIII's motu proprio Rubricarum instructum and promulgated by the Sacred Congregation of Rites the following day, 26 July 1960, by the decree Novum rubricarum. This 1960 calendar was incorporated into the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal, continued use of which Pope Benedict XVI authorized in the circumstances indicated in his 7 July 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum.

Novum rubricarum replaced the former classifications of Doubles, Semidoubles, and Simples with I, II, and III class feasts and commemorations. It removed a few feasts, in particular duplications such as the Feast of the Cross (3 May and 14 September), the Chair of Peter (18 January and 22 February), Saint Peter (1 August and 29 June), Saint John the Evangelist (6 May and 27 December), Saint Michael (8 May and 29 September), and Saint Stephen (3 August and 26 December).

This calendar is distinct from the General Roman Calendar of 1954 in that it also incorporates the changes made by Pope Pius XII in 1955, which included the reduction of octaves to three only, those of Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. See General Roman Calendar of Pope Pius XII.

Changes to the Calendar

New ranking system

Novum rubricarum abolished the traditional ranking of Sundays, ferias, and feast days as doubles (of varying degrees) and simples—the rank of semidouble having already been suppressed by Pius XII in 1955—and introduced a new system of ranking the various liturgical days of the Roman rite. Feasts previously ranked as doubles of the I class were reclassified as feasts of the I class. Feasts previously ranked as doubles of the II class were reclassified as feasts of the II class. Feasts ranked in 1954 as greater doubles, doubles, and semidoubles were reclassified as feasts of the III class. Feasts that had formerly been ranked as simples and had been reduced to commemorations in Pius XII's 1955 revision of the calendar remained commemorations.

The Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Passiontide, and Low Sunday were classified as Sundays of the I class. All other Sundays of the year—excluding those perpetually impeded by feasts of the I class—became Sundays of the II class.

Ash Wednesday, the ferias of Holy Week, the Paschal Triduum, and the days within the octaves of Easter and Pentecost (including the Ember Days of Pentecost) were classified as ferias of the I class. The ferias of Advent from 17 to 23 December inclusive, the days within the octave of Christmas not impeded by the feasts of saints (29–31 December inclusive), as well as the Ember Days of Advent, Lent, and September were ranked as ferias of the II class. The ferias of Advent, excluding 17–23 December, were ranked as ferias of the III class, as were the ferias of Lent and Passiontide. In addition, the ferias of Lent and Passiontide were given precedence over all feasts of the III class, with III-class feasts reduced to commemorations in years in which they fell during Lent or Passiontide. The remaining ferias of the year were classified ferias of the IV class.

The following feasts were reduced to commemorations:

  • the previous greater doubles of
    • Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (16 July)
    • Our Lady of Ransom (24 September)
    • The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Friday after the I Sunday in Passiontide)
  • the previous doubles of
    • The Impression of the Sacred Stigmata of St. Francis Confessor (17 September)
    • Ss. Eustace and Companions Martyrs (20 September)
    • St. Thomas [of Canterbury] Bishop and Martyr (29 December)
    • St. Sylvester I Pope and Confessor (31 December)
  • the previous simples (up to 1955, semidoubles) of
    • St. George Martyr (23 April)
    • St. Alexis Confessor (17 July)
    • Ss. Cyriacus, Largus, and Smaragdus Martyrs (8 August)

The following days of the II class became liturgical days of the I class:

  • Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord (1 January)
  • The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (2 November or 3 November if 2 November falls on Sunday)

The following greater doubles became liturgical days of the II class:

  • The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (I Sunday after Epiphany)
  • The Chair of Saint Peter (22 February)
  • The Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14 September)

Deletions and additions to the calendar

The following feasts were deleted from the calendar:

  • doubles of the II class
    • The Finding of the Holy Cross (3 May; considered a duplication of the 14 September feast of the Cross)
  • greater doubles
    • The Chair of Saint Peter Apostle at Rome (18 January; merged with the 22 February feast of St. Peter's Chair at Antioch)
    • St. John Apostle and Evangelist Before the Latin Gate (6 May; considered a duplication of the 27 December feast of St. John)
    • The Apparition of St. Michael Archangel (8 May; considered a duplication of the 29 September feast of the Dedication of St. Michael)
    • St. Peter Apostle in Chains (1 August; considered a duplication of the 29 June feast of Ss. Peter and Paul)
  • simples (up to 1955, semidoubles)
    • St. Leo II Pope and Confessor (3 July; removed as a result of the transfer of St. Irenaeus to 3 July)
    • St. Anacletus Pope and Martyr (13 July; merged with the 26 April feast of St. Cletus)
    • On the Finding of the Body of St. Stephen Protomartyr (3 August; considered a duplication of the 26 December feast of St. Stephen)

The commemoration of St. Vitalis Martyr (28 April) was likewise deleted, due to doubts about the historicity of his martyrdom.

The following feasts were inscribed in the calendar:

  • St. Gregory Barbarigo Bishop and Confessor (17 June, III cl.)
  • St. Anthony Mary Claret Bishop and Confessor (23 October, III cl.)

Other changes

The following feasts were transferred:

  • St. Irenaeus Bishop and Martyr (28 June to 3 July; to make room for celebration of the Vigil of Ss. Peter and Paul)
  • St. John Mary Vianney Confessor (9 to 8 August; to be nearer to his natalis)

The commemoration of Ss. Sergius, Bacchus, Marcellus, and Apuleius Martyrs was transferred from 7 to 8 October, due to rubrical changes that restricted the number of commemorations allowed on a II-class feast (in this case, the 7 October feast of the Rosary) to only one.

The following titles were changed:

  • The Circumcision of the Lord became the Octave Day of the Nativity (1 January)
  • The Octave Day of the Epiphany became the Commemoration of the Baptism of the Lord (13 January, II cl.)
  • The Chair of St. Peter Apostle at Antioch became The Chair of St. Peter Apostle (22 February)
  • The Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary became Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary (7 October)

The new rubrics also restricted the transferral of impeded feast days that occur in a given year on the same day as a liturgical day of higher rank solely to feasts of the I class (formerly doubles of the I class). Under the older rubrics, both doubles of the I class and doubles of the II class (feasts of the II class under the 1960 rubrics) were transferred when impeded.

Post-1960 developments

On 25 March 2020, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith made public the decree Cum sanctissima, dated 22 February 2020, which introduced a number of options for use in contemporary celebration of the Office and Mass according to the 1961 Breviary and 1962 Missal. With regard to the liturgical calendar, the decree grants permission for the celebration of feasts of saints canonized after 26 July 1960, using the dates set forth by the Holy See for the liturgical observance of these saints for the universal Church. The decree also allows the option for the celebration of certain III-class feasts during Lent and Passiontide, which heretofore had been forbidden by the 1960 Code of Rubrics.

January

Sunday between the octave of the Nativity of the Lord and the Epiphany, or, with this lacking, 2 January: The most holy Name of Jesus, II class.
I Sunday after Epiphany: The most holy Family of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, II class.

February

In leap year the month of February is of 29 days, and the feast of St. Matthias is celebrated on the 25th day and the feast of St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows on the 28th day of February, and twice is said Sexto Kalendas, that is on the 24th and 25th; and the dominical letter, which was taken up in the month of January, is changed to the preceding; that, if in January, the dominical letter was A, it is changed to the preceding, which is g, etc.; and the letter f is kept twice, on the 24th and 25th.

March

Friday after the I Sunday in Passiontide: Commemoration of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Comm.

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

Last Sunday in October: Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, I class.

November

December

  • 1: Feria.
  • 2: St. Bibiana Virgin and Martyr, III class.
  • 3: St. Francis Xavier Confessor, III class.
  • 4: St. Peter Chrysologus Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church, III class, Com. of St. Barbara Virgin and Martyr.
  • 5: Commemoration of St. Sabbas Abbot, Comm.
  • 6: St. Nicholas Bishop and Confessor, III class.
  • 7: St. Ambrose Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church, III class.
  • 8: On the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I class.
  • 9: Feria.
  • 10: Commemoration of St. Melchiades Pope and Martyr, Comm.
  • 11: St. Damasus I Pope and Confessor, III class.
  • 12: Feria.
  • 13: St. Lucy Virgin and Martyr, III class.
  • 14: Feria.
  • 15: Feria.
  • 16: St. Eusebius Bishop and Martyr, III class.
  • 17: Feria.
  • 18: Feria.
  • 19: Feria.
  • 20: Feria.
  • 21: St. Thomas Apostle, II class.
  • 22: Feria.
  • 23: Feria.
  • 24: Vigil, I class.
  • 25: On the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, I class with an octave. In the second Mass: Commemoration of St. Anastasia Martyr.
  • 26: II day within the octave of the Nativity of the Lord: St. Stephen Protomartyr, II class.
  • 27: III day within the octave of the Nativity of the Lord: St. John Apostle and Evangelist, II class.
  • 28: IV day within the octave of the Nativity of the Lord: The Holy Innocents, II class.
  • 29: Of the V day within the octave of the Nativity of the Lord, II class, Commemoration of St. Thomas Bishop and Martyr.
  • 30: Of the VI day within the Octave of the Nativity, II class.
  • 31: Of the VII day within the Octave of the Nativity, II class, Commemoration of St. Sylvester I Pope and Confessor.

Masses for Certain Places (pro Aliquibus Locis)

The 1962 typical edition of the Roman Missal—the edition incorporating the changes made for the 1960 General Calendar—collected many (though not all) Mass propers for feasts approved for celebration in certain places in a supplement placed at the end of the Missal; this supplement also incorporated changes mandated by Pope John XXIII regarding the suppression of some local feasts in his 14 February 1961 instruction De calendariis particularibus. Masses listed in this supplement may nowadays be said anywhere on days of the IV class. Some saints listed below are also in the General Calendar above; these saints have proper Masses in the pro Aliquibus Locis supplement that may be said ad libitum in place of the Masses listed in the main body of the Missal.

Suppressed Masses

In accordance with De calendariis particularibus (par. 32 & 33), the following local feasts "introduced since the Middle Ages by private devotion in the public worship of the Church" were suppressed, unless "truly special reasons" required their continued observance:

In addition, the feast of Saint Philomena (11 August) was removed from all local calendars (save for those of churches named for her and select locations where her cultus was permitted either by indult or tacit approval by the diocesan bishop) due to[citation needed] doubt regarding the historicity of her existence and martyrdom.

National Calendars

The following are the proper calendars for certain countries to be used in the celebration of the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite. National feasts and their ranks have been gathered from liturgical ordos published by various sources, including the FSSP, the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales, and Romanitas Press. This list details only those feasts celebrated in all dioceses and archdioceses of the following countries and does not include feasts proper to specific dioceses and archdioceses.

Australia and New Zealand

  • 3 December: St. Francis Xavier Confessor, Principal Patron of All Missions, I class
  • 1 February: St. Brigid Virgin, II class, Com. of St. Ignatius Bishop and Martyr
  • 17 March: St. Patrick Bishop and Confessor, I class
  • 28 April: St. Peter Aloysius Mary Chanel Martyr, III class, Com. of St. Paul of the Cross Confessor
  • 24 May: Our Lady, Help of Christians, Principal Patroness of Australia and New Zealand, I class
  • 9 June: St. Columba Abbot, III class, Com. of Ss. Primus and Felician Martyrs
  • 11 July: St. Oliver Plunkett Bishop and Martyr, III class, Com. of St. Pius I Pope and Martyr
  • 3 October: St. Teresa Virgin, Principal Patroness of All Missions, I class

Brazil

Canada

  • 18 February: St. Mary Bernard Soubirous Virgin, III class
  • 19 March: St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Confessor, Principal Patron of Canada, I class
  • 26 September: Ss. Jean, Isaac and Companions Martyrs, Secondary Patrons of Canada, III class, Com. of Ss. Cyprian and Justina Virgin, Martyrs
  • 13 November: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Virgin, III class, Com. of St. Didacus Martyr

England and Wales

  • 29 December: St. Thomas Bishop and Martyr, I class, Com. of the V day within the octave of the Nativity of the Lord
  • 1 March: St. David Bishop and Confessor, Principal Patron of Wales, I class (Wales only)
  • 12 March: St. Gregory I Pope, Confessor and Doctor of the Church, Apostle to the English, II class (Wales, most dioceses in England)
  • 23 April: St. George Martyr, Principal Patron of England, I class (England)/II class (Wales)
  • 4 May: The Holy Martyrs of England and Wales, III class, Com. of St. Monica Widow
  • 26 May: St. Augustine Bishop and Confessor, II class, Com. of St. Philip Neri Confessor
  • II Sunday after Pentecost: External Solemnity of Corpus Christi, II class
  • 22 June: St. Alban Martyr, III class, Com. of St. Paulinus Bishop and Confessor
  • 9 July: Ss. John Fisher Bishop and Thomas More Martyrs, I class
  • 17 July: Our Lady in Porticu, III class (Wales only), Com. of St. Alexius Confessor
  • 30 July: Bb. Edward Powell, Richard Featherstone and Companions Martyrs, III class (Wales only), Com. of Ss. Abdon and Sennen, Martyrs
  • 3 August: St. Germanus Bishop and Confessor, III class (Wales only)
  • 25 September: St. Cadoc Bishop and Martyr, III class (Wales only)
  • 13 October: St. Edward King and Confessor, II class
  • 5 November: On All Holy Relics in the Churches of Wales, III class (Wales only)

France

  • 3 January: St. Genevieve Virgin, III class (I class in the Archdiocese of Paris)
  • 18 February: St. Mary Bernard Soubirous Virgin, III class
  • 30 May: St. Joan of Arc Virgin, Secondary Patroness of France, II class
  • 3 June: St. Clothilde Queen and Widow, III class
  • 1 October: St. Remigius Bishop and Confessor, III class
  • 3 October: St. Teresa of the Child Jesus Virgin, Secondary Patroness of France, II class
  • 9 October: St. Denis Bishop, Rusticus Priest, and Eleutherius Martyrs, III class, Com. of St. John Leonardi Confessor

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

  • 8 December: On the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Principal Patroness of Portugal, I class
  • 16 January: St. Marcellus I Pope and Martyr, III class, Com. of Ss. Berard, Peter, Accursius and Adjutus Martyrs
  • 19 January: Commemoration of St. Gonçalo of Amarante Confessor, Com. of Ss. Marius, Martha, Audifax, and Abachum Martyrs
  • 4 February: St. John of Brito Martyr, III class, Com. of St. Andrew Corsini Bishop and Confessor
  • 13 February: The Five Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, III class
  • 18 February: St. Theotonius Confessor, III class, Com. of St. Simeon Bishop and Martyr
  • 12 May: Bl. Joana Princess of Portugal, Virgin, III class, Com. of Ss. Nereus, Achilleus, Domitilla Virgin, and Pancras Martyrs
  • 13 May: Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima, II class, Com. of St. Robert Bellarmine Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church
  • 10 June: The Holy Guardian Angel of Portugal, III class, Com. of St. Margaret Queen, Widow
  • 13 June: St. Anthony of Lisbon Confessor, Patron of Portugal, I class
  • 20 June: Bb. Sancha and Mafalda Princesses of Portugal and Queen of Leon, Widow, Theresa Princess of Portugal, Virgins, III class, Com. of St. Silverius Pope and Martyr
  • 15 July: St. Henry II Emperor, Confessor, III class, Com. of Bl. Inácio de Azevedo and Companions Martyrs
  • 16 July: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, III class
  • 27 October: Bl. Gonçalo of Lagos Confessor, III class
  • 6 November: St. Nuno of St. Mary Confessor, II class

Scotland

  • 30 November: St. Andrew Apostle, Principal Patron of Scotland, I class
  • 14 January: St. Kentigern Bishop and Confessor, III class, Com. of St. Hilary Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church, Com. of St. Felix Priest and Martyr
  • 10 March: St. John Ogilvie Martyr, II class, Com. of the Forty Holy Martyrs
  • 17 March: St. Patrick Bishop and Confessor, II class
  • 9 June: St. Columba Abbot, III class, Com. of Ss. Primus and Felician Martyrs
  • 16 September: St. Ninian Bishop and Confessor, III class, Com. of St. Cornelius Pope and St. Cyprian Bishop, Martyrs, Com. of Ss. Euphemia Virgin, Lucy and Geminianus Martyrs
  • 16 November: St. Margaret Queen, Secondary Patroness of Scotland, II class, Com. of St. Gertrude Virgin

Spain

  • 8 December: On the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Principal Patroness of Spain, I class
  • 27 February: St. Leander Bishop and Confessor, III class, Com. of St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
  • 10 May: St. John of Ávila Confessor, III class, Com. of St. Antoninus Bishop and Confessor, Com. of Ss. Gordian and Epimachus
  • 14 May: St. John Baptist de La Salle Confessor, III class
  • 15 May: St. Isidore Farmer and Confessor, III class
  • 30 May: St. Ferdinand King and Confessor, III class, Com. of St. Felix I Pope and Martyr
  • 16 July: Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel, I class
  • 25 July: St. James Apostle, Principal Patron of Spain, I class
  • 12 October: Our Lady of the Pillar, I class
  • 15 October: St. Teresa Virgin, III class

United States

  • 8 December: On the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Principal Patroness of the United States, I class
  • 12 December: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, III class
  • 22 January (23 January if 22 January falls on Sunday): Votive Mass for Peace, II class
  • II Sunday after Pentecost: External Solemnity of Corpus Christi, II class
  • Sunday after 29 June (when 29 June falls on a weekday): External Solemnity of Ss. Peter and Paul Apostles, II class
  • 9 September: St. Peter Claver Confessor, III class, Com. of St. Gorgonius Martyr
  • 26 September: Ss. Jean, Isaac and Companions Martyrs, III class, Com. of Ss. Cyprian and Justina, Virgin, Martyrs
  • 25 October: St. Isidore Farmer and Confessor, III class, Com. of Ss. Chrysanthus and Daria Martyrs
  • 13 November: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Virgin, III class, Com. of St. Didacus Confessor

Vietnam

Calendars of traditionalist institutes

The following are the proper adaptions currently in use for all members of traditionalist institutes who make exclusive use of the 1961 Breviary and 1962 Missal.

Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP)

  • 22 February: Chair of St. Peter, Apostle, Principal Patron of the FSSP, I class, Com. of St. Paul
  • 7 March: St. Thomas Aquinas, Confessor and Doctor of the Church, Secondary Patron of the FSSP, II class
  • 1 August: St. Peter, Apostle, in Chains, III class, Com. of St. Paul, Com. of the Holy Machabees, Martyrs
  • 4 November: St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop and Confessor, Patron of Seminarians, I class in all seminaries of the FSSP

Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX)

Local Calendars

To fully comply with the calendar requirements outlined in the 1960 Code of Rubrics that governs the 1962 Missal and the 1961 Breviary, a number of local feasts must be inscribed in the calendars of particular churches where the extraordinary form is offered (and of religious orders and societies dedicated to the use of the sacraments in their 1962 forms) in addition to those listed in the General Calendar and in the national calendars section above. These local feasts include, but are not limited to:

  • Feasts of the principal patrons of the nation, the ecclesiastical or civil region or province, and the diocese (I class)
  • Anniversary of the dedication of the diocesan cathedral (I class)
  • Anniversary of the dedication of the particular church (I class)
  • Feast of the titular saint of the particular church or religious order or congregation (I class)
  • Feast of the saint-founder of a religious order or congregation (I class)
  • Feasts of the secondary patrons of the nation, the ecclesiastical or civil region or province, and the diocese (II class)
  • Feasts of certain saints proper to a particular church or region (e.g., a saint whose body is preserved in a particular church) (II class)
  • Feast of the beatified founder of a religious order or congregation (II class)
  • Feasts of certain saints with some particular significance for a particular place, town, city, or region (e.g., a saint who was born in, had prolonged residence in, or died in a given place, town, city, or region) (II or III class or commemoration)
  • Other proper feasts inscribed in the local calendar of the diocese (III class or commemoration)

See also


This page was last updated at 2022-04-24 10:54 UTC. Update now. View original page.

All our content comes from Wikipedia and under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.


Top

If mathematical, chemical, physical and other formulas are not displayed correctly on this page, please useFirefox or Safari