Announcement of the Moveable Feasts of 2021 A. + D.
Delivered at the Divine Service for the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord, 06 January 2021
Traditionally connected with Epiphany was the publication on January 6 of the annual letter of the bishop of Alexandria announcing the date of Easter for the current year. The scholars of Alexandria were considered most competent to make the difficult computations and observations necessary to determine this date, and thus the whole East followed their findings, which were sent to all churches by the bishop. In the sixth century, the same procedure was adopted in the West. During the Middle Ages the dates of other movable feasts observed in the Church were added to the date of Easter and all of them announced to the people on Epiphany. Traditionally, this was chanted following the Gospel.
Dearly beloved brethren, know that as we have rejoiced in the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, so there is announced to you by the mercy of God the joyous observance of the Resurrection of the same our Savior:
In this year of Our Lord TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY-ONE, which commenced on Friday the First day of January, being the Feast of the Circumcision and Name of Our Lord, there will be three Sundays after the Epiphany, until Septuagesima Sunday which will occur on the Thirty-first of January.
The Seventeenth of February is Ash Wednesday, and begins the sacred forty days of Lent.
On the Fourth of April we shall celebrate with great rejoicing the glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.
The Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven will be recalled forty days thereafter, on the Thirteenth of May.
The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles at Pentecost will be celebrated on the Twenty-third of May.
The Feast of the Most Holy and Blessed Trinity will be observed on the Thirtieth of May.
There will be twenty-five Sundays after Trinity, until on the Twenty-eighth of November, being the first Sunday in the Advent of Our Lord, a new Year of Grace will begin.
To our Lord Jesus Christ be honor and glory, world without end. Amen.
