Festivals

• Festivals


  Days or periods of celebration for religious reasons
• Role and importance of festivals for Christians

  • Help Christians remember the major events in their religion
  • Help Christians plan their public worship
• Main seasons in the Christian calendar


  • Advent, Christmas and Epiphany
  • Lent, Easter and Pentecost
• Advent


  The period before Christmas when Christians prepare for the coming of Jesus
• Christmas


  The day commemorating the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus (25 December in most churches; also, the season of 12 days ending with the Epiphany)
• Lent


  The period of 40 days before Easter when Christians prepare for Easter
• Easter


  The religious season celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead; it starts on Easter Day and finishes with the feast of Pentecost
• Pentecost


  The feast celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples
• By living through the events of Jesus' life, death and resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Christians remember the central teaching of their faith- that God gave his only Son to save them
• Liturgical cycle


  • Advent
  • Christmas and Epiphany
  • Ordinary Time
  • Lent
  • Easter
  • Ordinary Time
  • Christ the King
• Christmas


  • Commemorates the Incarnation of Jesus, the belief that God became human in Jesus
  • Celebrated on 25 December
  • Celebrations last 12 days ending with the feast of the Epiphany
  • Trees and homes are decorated with lights and nativity scenes
  • Lights represent Jesus as the light coming into the world of darkness
  • Nativity scenes show the baby Jesus being born in poverty
  • Churches have carol services with readings from the Bible
  • Children act out nativity plays
  • Midnight Mass takes place on Christmas Eve
  • Christians send Christmas cards and exchange gifts which recall the wise men's gifts to Jesus
  • Seen as a time of 'peace and goodwill' when Christians give to charity as God gave the gift of Jesus, his Son
• Easter


  • The religious season celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead
  • Starts on Easter Day and finishes with the feast of Pentecost
  • Christians remember the sacrifice of Jesus and his rising from the tomb
  • Services are led by a procession with a large cross
  • On Easter Sunday, Christians have a special service and share bread and wine in Holy Communion to remember Jesus' last meal with his disciples