Moonwise

Gregorian Lunar Calendar 2003/04
Western Christian festivals and Sundays
November 2003 - December 2004

It is a little-known fact that the Gregorian calendar reform set up a fully functioning lunar calendar, though it did not specify names for the months, perhaps because most feast days are kept according to the solar calendar. So, here the name Paschal Moon is used for the month containing Easter, the centre of the whole calendar, and the other months are numbered relative to the Paschal Moon. Below this in most cases are suggestions for month names, based on liturgical seasons, and on saints whose days always, or almost always, fall in that particular month. Climatic seasons are avoided because they vary across our planet. If you know of Christian lunar month names already in use, or have suggestions of your own, do share them for posting on this page. Although these lunar months are not used apart from the calculation of Easter, it is interesting to see the Christian cycle shown in their context. 12 or 13 months are shown in such a way that the whole of the liturgical year is covered.

Alongside Sundays and other important Christian dates are saints’ days that are especially celebrated in particular countries, and are often public holidays there. The Orthodox Churches have continued to use the pre-Gregorian Julian Calendar, although the Greek Orthodox Church has been using it only for the date of Easter and related festivals. Do look on the Julian Calendar page for these.

There are plans afoot by the Western and Orthodox Churches to move to a new agreed way of reckoning Easter, which would end the practice of two different dates for this most important festival. This would abandon the Gregorian Lunar Calendar in favour of astronomical prediction: the Sunday following the Jerusalem meridian (GMT plus 2h 21m) day of the first full moon after the March equinox. More information about this, and a proposal for Easter to be defined once more as the Sunday after Passover.

Following the Revised Common Lectionary, there is a cycle of three years of Bible readings. The years are lettered A, B and C, and start on Advent Sunday. Year A starts on Advent Sunday in a year divisible by three. Each year provides a semi-continuous reading of one of the synoptic gospels at the Sunday Mass / Eucharist / Service. Year C is the year of St Luke.

Anglican names for the Sundays are used.

updated December 2004