The ecclesiastical year of the Byzantine Catholic Church revolves around a cycle of twelve Great Feasts with Pascha (Easter) being the center and Feast of Feasts. The joy of the Resurrection permeates all other days and moves us to recall the beginning of salvation history up to our restoration to the fullness of grace in Christ. The hymns and prayers of each feast, along with associated traditions and customs, bring richness and joy to the Church as she keeps these most special days. They are also teaching tools that bring, even to little children, the message of the feast. The traditions of a particular feast day often coincide with the natural year (i.e. celebration of the first harvest at Transfiguration) and can help to mark the seasons or calendar.
	While not a major feast day, the Beginning of the New Year is kept on September 1st. This day was the beginning of the new (civil) year in the Byzantine Empire and remained as such in the Eastern Churches even after that Empire fell. The first Great Feast of the year, the Nativity of the Theotokos, falls soon after on September 8th, marking the beginning of our redemption, while the final Great Feast of the year, the Dormition (or falling asleep) of the Theotokos on August 15th, shows our final destiny in Christ. Thus it falls very near to the end of the year. Please click on each feast to read a brief history of its development, traditions, prayers, hymns, and Scripture. Then see how these feasts are kept today in our parish and view the festal icons that also help to illuminate each feast.

The Transfiguration

The Dormition

The Nativity of the Mother of God