Kirchenjahres

Kirchenjahres, or the liturgical year, is the annual cycle of seasons and feasts used in Christian worship. It provides a framework for worship, preaching, and scripture readings by organizing the year around the life of Jesus Christ and the unfolding story of salvation. The calendar serves both as devotion and catechesis, guiding believers through anticipation, celebration, penitence, and renewal.

The year typically begins with Advent, a season of preparation before Christmas, followed by the Christmas season and Epiphany, which celebrate the incarnation and the revelation of Christ to the world. After Epiphany comes a period of ordinary time, then Lent, a season of penitence leading to Holy Week and Easter. The Easter season then culminates at Pentecost, after which ordinary time resumes until Advent.

Different Christian traditions name and arrange the seasons slightly differently. The Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed churches all use some form of the liturgical year, though dates, emphasis, and the presence of certain feasts vary. Some calendars emphasize saints’ days, while others focus more on biblical events. The system shapes readings, prayers, and music in worship.

Historically, the liturgical year developed in the early centuries and was codified in the medieval period, with further reforms in the modern era and in Protestant contexts. It remains a central organizing principle for communal worship and spiritual life in many Christian communities.