The Seasons of the Calendar

The Christian Calendar in its basic form has been around since at least the 4th century and possibly as early as the 2nd. However, it is really a reflection of the original Jewish Calendar, and most of the major holidays are a direct Christian fulfilment of those Old Testament feasts, and so its roots are much older than the 2nd century.

There is some disagreement between Eastern and Western dates for the moveable holidays (although the non-moveable holidays are universally agreed upon). In the West, most major Protestant denominations retained the use of the Christian Calendar after the Reformation except for the various Anabaptist sects (who did retain portions of it). It is an official tradition in all Eastern traditions as well as Roman Catholicism (and any other form of Western Catholicism), Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, Anglicanism (including the Church of England and other Anglican bodies), Methodism, and the various Reformed Churches (Dutch, French, Swiss, etc.).
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As a Western Christian, I have deep respect for my Eastern brothers but have chosen to follow the basic Western Calendar for this coming year. That is not to say that I have not incorporated some feast day (which I shall discuss in a future post) from the Greek and Russian Rites, but the skeleton upon which those days hang is Western.

There are seven Major Seasons in the Calendar: Adventtide*, Christmastide, Epiphanytide, Lententide, Eastertide, Gracetide (called Ordinary Time or Pentecosttide in some traditions), and Kingdomtide (which is the newest and is not yet universally recognised). Each of these Seasons explores different Themes of the Christian Story:

*The suffix “tide” merely means “Season of” and is used for both Major and Minor Seasons.

Adventtide explores the Themes of longing, expectation, and hope. It examines Old Testament prophecy and walks us through the times of Adam & Eve all the way to John the Baptist. Some of these Old Testament themes will return later in the Year, but this is the Season that is set aside to recognise our Jewish heritage.

Christmastide does not actually begin until 25 December, and it includes the Minor Season of Twelvetide (Nativitytide). The major Theme of this Season is celebration and welcoming of Jesus both into the world and into our lives, and it is almost ecstatic as it throws caution to the wind and simply lives in delight.

Epiphany literally means “appearing.” This season celebrates the Incarnation and most of the years of Jesus’ public ministry. Specific days commemorate the coming of the Magi, the Baptism, and the Wedding at Cana. This Season is a downshifting from Christmastide and takes more of a serious/sombre feeling. We have seen and celebrating the coming of the Christ, but Epiphany exposes Him for Who He really is, not for who we thought Him to be.

There is a short gap between Epiphanytide and Lententide which begins the counting of Ordinary Time (which will continue after Pentecost). The last half of this section of Ordinary Time, however, is the Minor Season of Shrovetide in which we mark a stronger transition from the celebration of Christmas and Epiphany to the more grievous Season to come. This Minor Season continues to focus on the life of Christ, but it also begins to commemorate the Babylonian captivity. We live again the realisation of our forbearers that our hopes for Christ are not exactly God’s plans.

Lententide is, possibly, the most controversial of the Seasons because it shifts the focus for a moment away from Christ onto the mortality of Man. Themes include death, frailty, mortality, and the hopelessness of the human condition. We experience the grief and pain and sorrow of life in a fallen world. The last two weeks of Lententide again shift the focus back to Christ but retain the sombre feeling of the Season by focusing on His suffering and sacrifice. Holy Week, inside the Minor Season of Passiontide, remembers betrayal, abandonment, separation from the Father, execution, and burial of Christ.

Eastertide is the climax of the Christian Calendar. “Christ is Risen!” is the acclamation. A deeper confidence and power over sin and death come to dominate this Season’s Themes; while the season of Christmastide was almost foolhardy in its reckless celebration, this Season is one of anchored and mature elation. The Minor Seasons of Rogationtide (which focuses on asking for God’s provision) and Ascensiontide (which focuses on waiting) close this Season out.


Gracetide (also Ordinary Time or Pentecosttide) is the longest of the Seasons, and the focus dramatically shifts away from Christ’s earthly ministry and on toward the ministry of the Holy Spirit (during the Minor Season of Whitsuntide), the manifestation of the Holy Trinity (Trinitytide), the work of the Church (Petertide). The latter part of Gracetide shifts toward spiritual warfare and the spiritual realm with Minor Seasons looking at angelic powers (Michaelmastide) and the Communion of Saints (Hallowmastide). The unfulfilled Jewish Feasts (Feast of the Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of the Tabernacles) also fall into the latter portion of Gracetide.

The final Season, Kingdomtide, is also the latest to be differentiated historically, and has as yet not been fully recognised in some denominations, though the main festival (Christ the King Sunday) is universal. This season focuses on the End Times and Christ’s imminent return and His coming Kingdom in which He will “come in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His Kingdom will have no end”. This Season returns to the themes of anticipation and hope.