Church Year
The Church Year is divided into three main parts (blocks) or periods:

• Qudosh Ito to Saumo (The Great Fast)
• Saumo to Qyumto (Easter)
• Qyumto to Qudosh Ito

The Church year begins with the Sunday of Qudosh Ito (Consecration of the Church). This always falls on the first Sunday of November, unless Christmas falls on a Sunday, in which case it is the last Sunday of October. In other words, it is always 8 Sundays before Christmas. In 2020, the liturgical year begins on November 1, 2020.

After the Sunday of Qudosh Ito, the Sunday “Hudoth Ito” follows, the renewal of the Church. Then, the Advent weeks start leading up to Christmas. On the fourth Sunday, the message (suboro) of the angel Gabriel to the Mother of God is celebrated.

QUDOSH ITO

After Christmas, the Church celebrates a Mariaday on the second Christmas day to honor that she bore Christ and sang praises to Him. It is also known that the Holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, passed away on the day she gave birth to Christ, approximately 40 years after His birth. Since the Church celebrates the birth of Christ at Christmas, the Church Fathers decided to commemorate Mary on the second Christmas day.

On the third Christmas day, the massacre of the children of Bethlehem is remembered. Depending on the day of the week that Christmas falls, there may or may not be a Sunday between the 3rd Christmas day (December 27) and New Year. Then, on January 1, both the circumcision of Christ and the Church Fathers Basil and Gregory are commemorated.

SAUMO (FASTING)

After the days of Denhe, the Church enters the period of fasting (Saumo). The block of Saumo always lasts 6 weeks (40 days of fasting), followed by the Passion Week (6 days of fasting), and ends at Easter. Since Easter falls on a different date each year, the end date—and therefore the start date of the Saumo block—shifts accordingly.

QYUMTO (EASTER)

The Qyumto block begins after Saumo and ends at Qudosh Ito. This entire block is divided into 4 sub-blocks of 8 Sundays each (the first block has 9). In the first three sub-blocks, Easter is remembered.

The first Sunday of the (sub)-block of Qyumto is Easter. The second Sunday is Hshabo Hatho, which means “New Sunday.”

FEAST DAYS OF THE LORD

The following are the fixed feast days of the LORD:

• December 25: Ido d’mawlodo (Christmas). The birth of Christ is celebrated.
• January 6: Denhe. The baptism of Christ and the revelation of the Holy Trinity are celebrated.
• February 2: Ma’alto. The feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple is celebrated.
• March 25: Suboro. The Annunciation to the Mother of God is celebrated.
• April/May (varies yearly): Ido d’Qyumto (Easter)
• June/July (varies yearly): Ascension. The Ascension of Christ is celebrated.
• August 6: Ito d-amtale. The Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated, marking the day Christ revealed part of His divinity.
• September 14: Edo du Slibo. The Feast of the Cross.